A NORTH Yorkshire schoolgirl is celebrating one year since finishing cancer treatment by urging people to support Cancer Research as the charity grapples with a loss of funding.
Nawton 10-year-old Grace Smith – known as Binky – was diagnosed with T-cell lymphoblastic lymphoma in April 2017, at just seven-years-old.
Grace, who was diagnosed after becoming "very lethargic", developing a cough and struggling with physical activities like running and horse riding, took part in a Cancer Research-funded trial looking at treatment for children and young people with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia and lymphoma.
The trial aims to see if changing the standard treatment for children and young people with the cancer will reduce side effects and help stop their disease from coming back.
She and her family are now supporting the charity in its appeal for donations to help get life-saving work back on track after cutting £44 million in research funding due to Covid-19.
The charity is expecting a staggering £160 million drop in income in the year ahead due to the cancellation of fundraising events like Race for Life.
As direct result of the coronavirus pandemic, projects "which could have the big answers" to cancer are also being held up.
Mum Kathy Boothman, 47, who is an emergency care assistant with the Yorkshire Ambulance Service based in Malton, said: “We didn’t know it at the time, but the trial Binky was on was funded by Cancer Research UK so we want to do all we can to help highlight the importance of research
“She was admitted to hospital where she began six weeks on intensive chemotherapy and isolation. She had all kinds of procedures and tests from biopsies to lumbar punctures, but she remained so brave throughout.
“There was no time for me to take in what was happening as it all happened so fast, but now I look back and can’t quite believe that was our life.
"It’s great to see how far she has come.
"Sadly we recently got a sad reminder of the other outcomes of cancer when we lost a friend of hers from the ward. It really hit us and showed how lucky we are.
"We can’t thank the team enough for how they helped her. Now she’s just a regular young girl with lots of attitude and getting back to what she loves most, riding.”
Lisa Millett, Cancer Research UK spokesperson for North Yorkshire, said: “We’re grateful to Binky and her family for helping to underline the stark reality of the current situation.
“Covid-19 has put so much of our research on pause, leaving us facing a crisis where every day and every pound counts. We will never stop striving to create better treatments. But we can’t do it alone.
“Whether they donate, sign up to Race for Life at Home or shop at our stores - with their help, we believe that together we will still beat cancer.”
To donate to Cancer Research, visit cruk.org/give
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