Tom Cruise, Simon Pegg, and Helena Bonham Carter are just some of the movie stars who have given their support to a fundraising night in memory of a film enthusiast who died suddenly at the age of 38.

Just eight weeks after being diagnosed with aplastic anaemia, a rare blood disorder, Joanna Warrener died in hospital.

This time last year Mrs Warrener was enjoying pizza and wine in the garden of her Strood home with Becca Hill, who had she met in 2002 while working at Standard Life, Kings Hill.

She had a slight cold but the pair made plans to go to the cinema in the coming weeks. However, Mrs Warrener was to spend the next two months in hospital.

Ms Hill, 35, said: “Jo fought hard despite infections, the throat pain that made it unbearable to even drink, and having countless blood and platelet transfusions.

“She kept the humour she had always had – she said the treatment involved horse hormone which resulted in jokes about Jo getting a long mane and ‘neighs’ to the medical staff.”

Mrs Warrener seemed to be responding well to treatment for aplastic anaemia and family and friends joined her at the hospital at the end of October to celebrate her 38th birthday. She was looking forward to returning home with her husband of eight years, Steve, 47, and their cat, Barley.

But in the early hours on November 5, Mrs Warrener suffered a cardiac arrest due to sepsis and died the next day.

Ms Hill said: “We agreed on the day Jo died that we would do all we could to support the AA Trust to help others. It was a way of us coping and keeping busy.”

Almost £2,000 has been raised from donations at her funeral and to family and friends who did the 10k Windsor Great Park Walk in May.

Ms Hill is organising a film-themed auction and managed to get Tom Cruise, Simon Pegg and Christopher McQuarrie to sign a poster for Mission Impossible: Rogue Nation at the London premiere.

She said: “Jo was a real film enthusiast and knew so much about films, from the direction to the production as well as the actors and actresses.

“Her favourite films were Avatar, Titanic and Meet Joe Black.”

Other items include an Alice in Wonderland DVD signed by Great Expectations and Les Miserables star Helena Bonham Carter, as well as signed pictures and a limited edition alarm clock from the team at Good Morning Britain. Raffle prizes include cinema tickets and a facial voucher from Reef Spa Maidstone.

The film-themed night, which includes a quiz and raffle, is at Lordswood Leisure Centre on Friday, October 16. Tickets are £5 per person. Email charitynightforaatrust@gmail.com for tickets or donations for the raffle.

What is aplastic anaemia?

Aplastic anaemia (AA) is a rare but serious acquired blood disorder, where the bone marrow fails to produce essential blood cells.

Approximately 100-150 new patients are diagnosed with aplastic anaemia in the UK each year. It is not a form of cancer.

It is most prevalent in people in their teens and twenties, but is also common among the elderly.

It can be caused by exposure to chemicals, drugs, radiation,infection, immune disease, and heredity; in about half the cases, the cause is unknown.

Some of the symptoms include fatigue, shortness of breath, persistent sore throat, paleness of skin colour, nose bleeds, chest infection. Visit www.theaat.org.uk