A COURAGEOUS little girl who has been treated for bone cancer is calling on Scots to clear out their wardrobes to help raise money for vital research into childhood cancers.
Ten-year-old Catie Hynes posed in an oversized ladies dress, shoes and hat while holding a placard to encourage grown-ups across Scotland to support Give Up Clothes for Good and donate their unwanted quality clothing
The initiative, the UK’s biggest and longest running charity collection partnership which runs from 1 – 30 April, sees TK Maxx and Cancer Research UK teaming up to raise £2.5million to help beat childhood cancers.
Catie was treated at the Royal Hospital for Sick Children in Edinburgh Photo:Kim Traynor
For the last 18 months, life has been far from normal for Catie, of Bonnybridge, near Falkirk, ever since she was diagnosed with osteosarcoma, a type of bone cancer.
Catie was diagnosed with cancer on the day after her ninth birthday after her leg suddenly gave way and she fell down the stairs at home.
Her parents were shocked to discover that Catie was in agony and her leg had actually broken.
Doctors at Stirling Royal Infirmary suspected bone cancer and she was admitted to the Royal Hospital for Sick Children in Edinburgh where she spent her ninth birthday just a few days later.
Since then, the St Joseph’s Primary pupil has endured chemotherapy and several operations to remove the tumour and then to straighten her leg.
She has now been in remission for almost a year and, despite having to use a wheelchair at times, she is back at school and living life to the full.
Research
Catie’s mum Jenny, 38, a dietician, said: “Thanks to research into children’s cancers, Catie is now living a full and happy life like any other ten-year-old.
“We would urge people across Scotland to go through their wardrobes, cupboards and drawers, and drop off as many unwanted goods as they can to TK Maxx stores as part of the Give Up Clothes for Good campaign.
“We will definitely be having a good clear out and hope others will be inspired to do the same. In doing so we can all help TK Maxx and Cancer Research UK ensure that more children, like Catie, beat cancer in the future.”
Around 1,580 children are diagnosed with cancer in the UK each year – including around 120 in Scotland.
Helen Gunter, spokesperson for TK Maxx, said: “We want to encourage people across Scotland to drop off their unwanted, quality clothing and household items to our TK Maxx stores in April to help us beat kids’ cancer.”
“All the money raised from this campaign will help fund valuable research into children’s cancers and each bag donated could raise £30 for Cancer Research UK.
In the 1960s, only around a quarter of children with cancer survived. Today, almost three out of four survive and Cancer Research UK is at the heart of this huge progress. But more still needs to be done to help beat kids’ cancer for good.
