A fundraising tea party is being held by a Co Armagh primary school for one of its pupils who has a brain tumour.
Little Ella Anderson, who attends Hamiltonsbawn PS, is nearing the end of proton beam radiotherapy in Manchester which will be followed by nine months of chemotherapy.
She has also been through seven surgeries – the longest of which lasted for 12 hours and resulted in a major side effect, a condition known as Posterior Fossa Syndrome, which has left her with severe speech and movement disabilities.
The seven-year-old’s parents Ken and Nicola received the shock diagnosis in February, after noticing their daughter had slight facial palsy.
Related: Hamiltonsbawn girl Ella a real fighter as she continues treatment for brain tumour
The weekend before, she had been a “perfectly normal seven-year old girl” according to Ken, playing football with her cousins and doing gymnastics.
Despite this, her parents have been inspired by her fighting spirit and happy, positive attitude.
Ken, who spoke to Armagh I from Manchester earlier this month, said they had also been sustained by support from family, friends and the wider community.
The tea party, which will be held on Saturday, June 17, has been organised mainly by Ella’s teacher Mrs Megaw, with help from other school staff.
All proceeds will go to the family.
And on Saturday, June 3, Armagh Royal British Legion is also supporting the family by holding a fundraising breakfast morning from 8am-12 noon at its hall in Dobbin Street.
The family has also set up a JustGiving page for charity Young Lives vs Cancer, which has been a huge support to them, with more than £700 already raised.
