Niki Meller: Our very own Vantage Superstar​

Niki Meller is a very special employee here at Vantage Motor Group. Not only does she share the same passion to please as the rest of our employees, working as Sales Administrator at Toyota Solihull, she’s also had an incredible journey proving her determination and strength. Here at Vantage, Niki is a huge inspiration to us all.

Working for Lexus since March 2008, Niki is an extremely knowledgeable member of the team, joining the Vantage family in 2013 and working at Lexus Birmingham before her move to Toyota Solihull last year. However, on the 23^rd December 2010, aged 30, Niki was delivered the devastating news that she had been diagnosed with breast cancer. Choosing not to give cancer the chance to win, Niki underwent chemotherapy, radiotherapy and surgery before opting for reconstruction surgery in November 2013. If that wasn’t already enough, in 2014 her sister Rachel was also diagnosed with breast cancer, so in May 2015 Niki had preventative surgery on her non-cancer side.​​

For many of us, this would be unbearable, but not for Niki. Instead, she has thrown herself into volunteering and helping others who find themselves in her situation. Speaking on Tuesday, Niki said, “Cancer has changed my life massively over the past few years but I have a very happy ending. I get great satisfaction from the work I do with Macmillan hoping that I can help people who find themselves in the same situation my family have”.​​

Niki volunteers for Macmillan in many different ways, including her role as a Health Care Champion. Many people are affected by cancer, not just the patient. She visits local towns, county shows and shopping centres alongside the Macmillan bus hoping to raise awareness of the charity and inform people that they’re there to help support anyone affected by cancer.​

More recently, Niki was involved in the ‘Not Alone’ campaign run by Macmillan. Almost 1,000 people are given the news that they have cancer every day, but they don’t always get the support they need. In figures released by MacMillan it was revealed that an estimated 550,000 people in the UK, 22% of those living with cancer, suffer with loneliness.The ‘Not Alone’ campaign sought to raise awareness of how isolated cancer sufferers can feel. Macmillan set up a mirrored isolation box at the Bullring Birmingham which allowed shoppers to sit inside, alone, and listen to Niki’s experience of isolation. Although people could see into the box, anyone inside was unable to see out.​

And Niki’s volunteering doesn’t stop there. Alongside her hugely supportive team at Vantage, Niki is organising a MacMillan coffee morning as part of MacMillan’s World’s Biggest Coffee Morning event. If you would like to show your support to not only an amazing charity, but an amazing lady, pop down to Toyota Solihull on the 25th of September.​ ​

MacMillan 'Not Alone' CampaignMacMillan 'World's Biggest Coffee Morning'Donate to MacMillanContact Toyota Solihull

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