The family of a Borehamwood man who died of skin cancer aged just 27 have raised half a million pounds in aid of the hospital that treated him.

Shortly after Sam Keen died in 2011, his family and friends set themselves the target of raising £25,000 to support The Royal Marsden’s fight against skin cancer, which he was diagnosed with as a student.

Now, they have raised more than 20 times that. They crossed the half a million mark after ‘A Magical Quiz Night’ sold out at Borehamwood and Elstree Synagogue, raising £9,500 on Sunday.

The money, raised through events and donations, is used to sponsor two research fellows based, at the world-famous cancer hospital, who work alongside oncologist Professor Martin Gore leading research into immunotherapy, a treatment which worked for Mr Keen before his death.

One of the research fellows, Dr Andrew Furness, said: “So far, our results have been received very well. And now what we are doing is, looking into working out why does it work well for a certain set of people, and not others?

“The research looks into exploiting that knowledge and to try expand the number of people that benefit. We are really deciphering cancer and the response to therapies in a much more intelligent manner.”

More than 200 people attended the magic-themed supper quiz on Sunday night at the shul where Mr Keen, an estate agent who got married just seven weeks before his death, was a member.

The attendees were shown a moving video about the foundation’s work, including an interview with Caroline Piggott, a Royal Marsden patient who has benefited from immunotherapy.

She said: “Please keep on doing what you’re doing; you saved my life.”

Mr Keen’s sister Sara Kibel told the JC: “Sam brought 230 people together for a magnificent sold-out evening. Everyone in the room felt privileged to fund a research team who are uniquely placed to be able to find a breakthrough.

“The sadness of not being able to share our day-to-day lives with Sam is immeasurable, but support like this from the community ensures Sam’s still with us.”

Buoyed by its success, the foundation has no plans to wind down and plans to keep fundraising.

Mrs Kibel said: “At the moment, through the research that is being funded, treatment success rate percentages are increasing, but we won’t stop fundraising until treatment rates progress to 100% success. A cure to malignant melanoma.”