Fund launched to help Fairstead girl
A DEVASTATED family has launched a fundraising appeal for its battling five-year-old girl after she was diagnosed with a life-threatening brain tumour.
Little Katie Childs, of Butterwick, on Lynn's Fairstead Estate, is currently preparing for radiotherapy to begin at Addenbrooke's Hospital in Cambridge after being diagnosed with the tumour two weeks ago.
Doctors are unable to remove the tumour but it is hoped the treatment will give Katie a fighting chance.
The Make a Wish Foundation, which helps youngsters living with life-threatening illnesses, has offered to grant Katie's wish to become a princess and is taking her on her first-ever holiday, to Euro Disney.
Friends and family have also launched the For Katie Fund so more members of her family can join her, including sister Sophie Arnold (14) and brothers Matthew (13) and Declan Arnold (10). They also hope to raise enough money to take Katie on other breaks and days out, and to help pay for transport costs to hospital.
Julie McCallum and Heather Armstrong, friends of Katie's mum and dad Joyce Arnold and Kelvin Childs, have helped start the ball rolling with a band of other helpers.
Since Katie was diagnosed on Thursday, March 20, 130 has been raised at the Howard Infant and Nursery School in Parkway, which Katie attends.
Other fundraising events, such as 24-hour fundraising marathons, are also already in the pipeline and fundraising boxes are due to be placed in local supermarkets and pubs. A special bank account for donations has also been opened.
Miss McCallum said Katie had suffered with a squint in her eyes before having a scan at Lynn's Queen Elizabeth Hospital. She then went to Addenbrooke's Hospital for further tests and the full extent of her condition was found.
She will start the six-week radiotherapy course in three weeks time, and she is expected to go to Euro Disney a few weeks after the treatment has finished.
Anyone wanting to make a donation or help with the fundraising can contact Miss McCallum on 07707 691590 or Mrs Armstrong on 07799 065164.
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Weather for King's Lynn
Sunday 27 May 2012
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