An inspiring Ayrshire two-times cancer survivor who became the poster-girl for a Scots charity has helped fund eight-months of vital research.
Eilidh Mackay from Maybole was once on the brink of death as she battled the disease which left her in a coma for two months.
Now cancer-free, the 20-year-old has helped raise an incredible £45,000 for Scots charity Worldwide Cancer Research.
Eilidh — who has been in remission for two years — became the face of the charity’s latest appeal with every penny raised going to help researchers discover new lifesaving ways to prevent, diagnose and treat the disease.
Eilidh’s incredible moving story of her battle against two stints of the disease has helped raise a whopping £45,512.75 with donors connecting with the brave teens journey.
Eilidh was diagnosed with lymphoblastic leukaemia (a type of blood cancer) in June 2016, aged 14, after suffering from lung pain and cramps in her legs.
During cancer treatment the courageous teen ended up in a coma for two months after she suffered a harmful reaction to chemotherapy just weeks after starting treatment.
The determined teen had to relearn how to walk after being able to only blink when she awoke with medics fearing the worst.
Just three years later Eilidh was told by medics that she had thyroid cancer in 2019 — in a second devastating cancer blow.
Now the determined survivor turned 'Curestarter' has vowed to continue raising awareness to prevent more people being dealt “heart-breaking” diagnoses.
Eilidh who last year joined forces with Ayrshire Cancer Support said: “No words can express how utterly unbelievable it is knowing my story helped raise such an immense amount of funding for Worldwide Cancer Research. Seeing the final fundraising total from the appeal is more than I could have ever imagined.
“To think that my story connected with so many people that they donated, helping us raise enough money to fund eight months of lifesaving cancer research, is just unbelievable.”
“My hope is that one day, no one will have to go through the heart-breaking cancer diagnosis I have experienced.
“I personally feel cancer has control over us, but funding this important research worldwide will help us take back that control. This impressive amount of funding will help so many people in the future when they receive a cancer diagnosis, and it makes me so happy knowing I have helped and been a part of it.
Eilidh believes that cancer research has improved with advances in technology to help diagnose cancer and kinder treatments now available.
She added: “I am hugely grateful that the understanding of how to treat my cancer was there when I was diagnosed. Donations to start new cancer cures are working.”
Charity bosses have heaped praise on superstar Eilidh for courageously telling her story.
Dr Helen Rippon, Chief Executive at Worldwide Cancer Research said: “We’d like to say a massive thank you to our Curestarter, Eilidh, for so bravely fronting this campaign and helping us raise over £45,000 to start new cancer cures and end cancer.
“After everything Eilidh and her family have been through, it’s meant the world to have their support the last 12 months, helping us continue to make our ground breaking research possible.”
You can learn more about becoming a Curestarter by visiting: https://www.worldwidecancerresearch.org/
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