Stars sister to climb high for cancer charity.

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Neath superstar Katherine Jenkins and her sister Laura know all about the heartache cancer can cause. Their father Selwyn died 10 years ago at the age of 70 from lung cancer and was helped through his illness by Macmillan nurses.

Katherine, aged 25, who sang for the Queen and sold millions of albums worldwide, is supporting her sister's amazing fund-raiser for the Macmillan Cancer Support charity.

Laura is putting herself in the spotlight with two school friends from Neath - Michelle Pugh and Rachel Williams - to climb the 20,000 ft Mount Kilimanjaro in northeast Tanzania.

All are supporting the Post's appeal too, which is also raising money for Macmillan Cancer Support.

The intrepid trio of 24-year-olds, who now live together in Clapham, London, have already been on a Macmillan training day in Snowdonia.

Laura has already climbed the admittedly smaller Ben Nevis, which at 4,408 feet is the highest mountain in the British Isles, with her 31-year-old boyfriend Gavin Johnson, from Leeds.

Laura and her friends have already been organising fund-raising events, including a gig with bands such as My Friend Eject, from Neath, at London's 100 Club in July.

There are more events to follow, including one near her Cimla home and a comedy night in London.

Laura said: "My father died from lung cancer 10 years ago and Macmillan nurses looked after him.

"I remember them coming round to our home and helping him through it, which is why we wanted to raise money for this charity.

"The Macmillan nurses offer so much support - they provided a special chair for him to sit on at home and made him feel comfortable.

"They were a huge boost to the family at the time.

"We just wanted to do whatever we could to raise money for sufferers and families in similar situations.

"One in three people are affected by cancer at some stage in their lives, so it is a very worthy cause.

"Obviously, cancer is something both myself and Katherine feel strongly about.

"So, we fully back the Evening Post's appeal to raise money for Macmillan Cancer Support.

"We hope everyone in South West Wales can organise their own events for the Post's appeal.

"It is really good fun and a great way of raising money."

Laura still stays as close as she can to her 25-year-old jet-setting sister as she can, who now only lives a stone's throw away in North London with 32-year-old boyfriend Steve Hart.

But their breast cancer nurse mum Susan has not been tempted by the bright lights and continues to live in the former council house in Neath.

Laura, Michelle and Rachel are hoping to raise £9,000 for charity with their ambitious climb in January next year.

The six-day challenging trek will start at the base of the huge dormant volcano at Kilimanjaro. It will take the girls through temperatures of up to 30C during the day and down to -15C at night.

They will be exposed to a high risk of altitude sickness or what some call entering the death zone, with only half the oxygen in the air compared with what we have at sea level.

But there will be back-up in the shape of 30 other trekkers raising money for the charity, as well as experienced guides and a doctor.

There are three times as many people in Britain living with cancer than 30 years ago.

Cash raised will improve the lives of people affected by cancer by providing for Macmillan nurses who offer practical, medical, emotional and financial support to cancer sufferers.

Laura said: "We are nervous but very excited about it. Gavin has actually done it before so he has been giving us some tips.

"I did a 60km walk through London with Michelle and Rachel and another part of our training is to walk home from work in London.

"I'm a public policy consultant, Michelle works in human resources for the Halifax Bank of Scotland and Rachel is a Metropolitan police intelligence analyst and we meet up to stroll back home two or three times a week.

"We quite enjoy it - it isn't as bad as it sounds."

Michelle and Rachel have been around the Jenkins household since the early days, so they saw Mr Jenkins's illness and then Katherine's rise to stardom.

And they were all invited along to the Classical Brits in May this year, when the 25-year-old diva made awards history by winning her second consecutive gong for best album.

She is now the UK's biggest-selling classical artist after shifting 1.5 million albums in two years. Her albums frequently ride high in the pop charts too.

Laura said: "I have been in London for two years and we all love it here, but we do miss Neath and enjoy going back.

"It is amazing what my sister has achieved and it is almost unbelievable when you see her singing in front of a massive crowd.

"When I talk to people up here and tell them I'm Katherine's sister, they cannot believe it sometimes.

"On the day of the charity gig, we were both at a garden party at Buckingham Palace - I had to go from there to the 100 Club.

"Katherine even managed to come along at the end.

"There was a good reason why she couldn't make it earlier - she had been to St James's Palace for dinner.

"But it is great to watch it happening and we are all very proud of her."

Laura, Michelle and Rachel have set up a fund-raising page online to make it quick and easy for people to sponsor them. Go to www.justgiving.com/kilimanjaro2007