I still can’t Lorraine
Cancer amputee Katie, 12, is praised for raising money for charities
BEING given a VIP tour of Abbey Road ad studios by Lorrainene Kelly and bumping into her idoldol Sharleen Spiteri – it’s no wonder Katie Pake was overwhelmed.
The queen of daytime telly and the singer joined forces to surprise the 12-year-old with her Pride of Scotland award in London last month.
Katie, from Coaltown of Balgonie in Fife, was left speechless when she found her STV Children’s Appeal Child of Courage trophy hidden in Sharleen’s guitar case.
The Auchmuty High School pupil, who lost most of her leg to bone cancer, was even more taken aback when the Texas frontwoman presented her with a bright pink signed vintage guitar.
Katie, who is on a mission to help fellow child cancer patients and has raised thousands with her campaigning, says her day out with Lorraine and Sharleen was one of the best of her life.
The talented swimmer, who had her foot and ankle reattached to her thigh back to front to create a new knee joint, said: “I still can’t believe it happened.
“My mum and I came out of our London hotel and Lorraine Kelly was standing there. She asked if I would like a tour of Abbey Road studios. I said yes immediately as I taught myself how to play Beatles songs during lockdown.
“I couldn’t believe my eyes when the lights went up and Sharleen was there. She waved me in and we chatted for a while. I told her I had been listening to her music on the way down to London.
“She told me to look in her guitar case and that’s when I found the award. I was totally overwhelmed. I told her I didn’t deserve it but she said I did and that I also deserved a guitar.
“She wrote a message on it saying, ‘It’s lovely to give this to you. I hope you write many a song on it. Sharleen.’”
Katie, who is an ambassador for the Love Oliver charity, added: “It’s humbling, amazing and unexpected to be one of the first people to win a Pride of Scotland award and I wi l l treasure the
memories of my day in London forever. “But I only do what I do to pay back those who have helped me and my family when we really needed it. “No one should face cancer alone.” Sharleen, patron of children’s cancer charity CLIC Sargent, said: “The influence she has on other people, when they are going through things they think are difficult. “They can look at Katie, the way she is and how she just gets on with it. It was a great honour and a real pleasure to give her the award.” Lorraine said: “Katie is incredible. I am so impressed by her courage, determination and how big-hearted she is. Nothing stands in her way. “It was such a joy to surprise her as she had no idea at all. She was speechless that she was going to Abbey Road. “She’d been asking her mum all during the journey to London if they could squeeze in a visit but was told there just wasn’t time. So she was excited to get a VIP tour and to meet Sharleen.” Katie’s parents took her to the GP when she complained that a sore knee was affecting her performance in the swimming pool. Tests revealed she was suffering from osteosarcoma, a type of bone cancer.
When chemotherapy did not eradicate the tumour, doctors told her parents she had a 20 per cent chance of survival. They had to amputate her leg, in an eight-hour operation two days before her 10th birthday.
Before the op, Katie wrote “Please recycle” on her leg, in the hope the cancer tissue could be used in research. Since then, she has been raising awareness of childhood cancer and money for charities including CLASP, Cancer Research UK and Love Oliver.
The second year pupil, now in remission, takes off her artificial leg to swim and has won golds at the junior and senior S c o tt i sh D i sab i l i ty Spor t National Swimming Championships and this month took part in her first international competition as the youngest competitor.
As well as training four times a week in the pool, she plays football, is a wheelchair racer and has just taken up the discus.
Her mum Carol, 51, dad Grant, 48, and brother Cameron, 19, are proud of their wee fighter. Carol said: “Katie wants to be a champion for all children affected by cancer. She wants to swim, play football, skydive, represent
Scotland in the Paralympics and maybe one dday even bbecome a surgeon, liklike the ones who saved her life but most of all she wants to make a difference. Katie doesn’t let anything stop her.
“When she was first shown pictures of people with their foot reattached backwards, she wasn’t fazed at all and was happy to do anything that would help her stay as sporty and active as she had been before her diagnosis.
“She thinks the foot looks like Thor’s hammer so she calls it Thor and she has stunned everyone with her humour, strength and determination. She has been through a lot. We are so proud.” Carol added: “The day of the operation was the worst day of our lives but Katie was very relaxed. She was in intensive care for her birthday but she was so amazing. She never once felt sorry for herself and kept saying there were other children much worse off than she was. “From the minute Katie was diagnosed she started fighting. She’s a determined young lady.”
Katie is one of 11 unsung heroes who will be honoured at the inaugural Daily Record Pride of Scotland Awards, in partnership with TSB.
The glittering show, hosted by Elaine C Smith and Kirsty Gallacher, will be broadcast on Hogmanay and will include performances by McFly, Tom Walker and a special rendition of Auld Lang Syne led by Sir Billy Connolly.
DON’T MISS THE SHOW 10.45PM HOGMANAY STV