Cancer can’t stop Rachel raising £8000

Jun 11 2009 by Debbie Spalding, West Lothian Courier

A TEENAGER who is undergoing gruelling treatment for leukaemia has helped to raise money for other young cancer patients.

Rachel Cameron (13), was diagnosed with the disease last year and has just started a four-week course of intense chemotherapy.

But despite this, brave Rachel still wanted to help raise money for children’s cancer charity CLIC Sargent and Edinburgh’s Sick Kids Hospital.

Along with her mum and dad Karen and Ian, and family friend Ian Morris, Rachel helped to raise over £8000 at a charity night at the Vue in Bathgate.

Karen (43), from Armadale, said she was delighted with the money raised and that it had helped give the family a boost.

And she said she wanted to say a big thank you to Bathgate Rotary Club, Ian Morris, the Vue and HBOS.

“We’re so grateful to everybody who helped us raise this money, we wanted to give half to the hospital and half to CLIC Sargent because both have been brilliant,” she said.

“The support we received from CLIC has been great and the charity also runs a house at the hospital where parents can stay all the time their child is being treated.

“It’s great because you’re only two minutes away from your child during the night. It becomes a home from home really.”

Karen said that while her daughter has good and bad days, she is responding well to treatment and may be able to return to school and get back to normal later this year.

She said: “She has just started a four-week course of intense chemotherapy then after that she’ll have a year of maintenance treatment.

“So far she’s been amazing. It’s really hard for her having constant chemotherapy and your life really does change.

“I’ve had to give up work and there’s so much travelling involved going back and forward to Edinburgh, but I’m hoping I can go back to work once Rachel is back at school.”