A little girl with a big heart launched her own charity drive after being inspired by the story of a brave young cancer fighter.
Renton Primary youngster Emily McFarlane went from selling lemonade and tablet to organising a 12-mile cycle for the Schiehallion ward after hearing about how it helped her classmate’s sister.
The unit at the Royal Hospital for Children in Glasgow has been a lifeline for eight-year-old Sarah Thomson, who was diagnosed with Leukaemia when she was just a toddler.
Emily, 11, was also treated for a blood disorder at the ward and immediately decided she wanted to help.
Mum Lorraine said: “Sarah’s big sister Hannah did a talk at Renton Primary on the Schiehallion ward. She told everyone how she was fundraising for it and Emily decided she wanted to help.
“Emily also went to the ward as an outpatient for two years so the talk really struck her.
“She began her fundraising by selling lemonade and tablet made by her gran and then she went on to organise a cycle.
“She made up her own sponsor sheets and started to work hard collecting sponsors. We thought even if she raised £50 to £100 it would be amazing but never for a minute did we think two weeks later she would have collected over £700.
“It was all her own idea and I can’t even describe how proud she has made us.”
Emily, who goes to Renton Primary, was also spurred on by little sister Sophie, six.
Members of Emily’s family joined her on her 12-mile cycle, which took them from Bowling to Balloch on Sunday, July 14.
The Lennox Herald told of Sarah’s story three years ago after the remarkable little girl battled cancer and fought back from the brink after her heart stopped beating for six minutes.
The youngster, from Renton, was rushed to hospital on her first day of nursery and worried mum Karen Lowrey was crushed when a blood test showed the three-year-old had cancer.
She had been unwell for around four weeks, and back and forth to see doctors, before the acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL) was picked up by the medical team.
But little Sarah faced her gruelling treatment – including regular chemotherapy and painful lumbar punctures – head on.
One side-effect of the chemo for Sarah meant she lost reflexes and had to learn to walk again. And the outgoing youngster also shed all of her hair.
Despite all this, she battled on with a smile on her face, her proud mum Karen said.
Sarah’s received incredible support from the Schiehallion team, with her 12-year-old sister Hannah organising a fundraising drive.
Lorraine continued: “Emily was really touched by her story.
“She’s already thinking about what she can do next.
“She said it feels really good to help people and is considering raising money for the kidney ward that helped her granda.
“My dad passed away six years ago of renal failure and he attended the Vale renal unit three to four times a week, so maybe that will be the next place we can help.”
She added: “Thank you so much to everyone that has encouraged and supported her and gave her sponsor money. Not only have you guys helped the Schiehallion ward, you have also helped make a little girl so happy and full of self belief.”
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