City rallies behind Lily Hundreds donate cash
The people of Perth have taken the case of a nine-year old dancer with advanced bone cancer to their hearts and supported a financial appeal with a deluge of donations.
In the first three days £16,000 – from a total of 648 people – poured into a fundraising page set up for Lily Douglas, aimed at easing the next few weeks for her devastated family.
Champion dancer and St John’s RC Academy Primary School pupil Lily started treatment for a form of aggressive bone cancer at Edinburgh Sick Kids Hospital on Monday.
Her family has been absorbing the sudden and terrible news that what was presumed to be a dance injury has actually been Ewing’s Sarcoma, a form of cancer.
Lily’s dance teacher at Inspire Dance Studios in Perth, Brooke Robertson, started a gofundme.com appeal in an attempt to cushion the blow of the frightening diagnosis and what looks to be a brutal stretch of treatment.
Among those moved to read about Lily was former Strictly Come Dancing judge, Arlene Phillips.
The choreographer and TV personality donated £50 and sent her a message of hope.
Ms Phillips wrote: “Be brave, stay positive and keep your soul dancing. Arlene x.”
Mum Jane Douglas thanked all those who had reached out in a hugely honest and bittersweet post on Facebook.
With her husband Scott, Jane has been at their daughter’s side at the Edinburgh hospital.
Having only just taken in what Lily is suffering from, Jane wrote how she had not gathered the strength to read up on it yet.
“What I know is it’s in her leg bone and has travelled to her lungs and her shoulder.
“The doctors have warned me they are very worried. I am terrified I could lose my beautiful baby girl.”
Sharing her heartbreak, Jane added: “Last week when I feared Lily had cancer, my main concern was that she would lose her beautiful hair. I am dreading it.
“But now, after receiving the news that Lily’s cancer is very aggressive, that really pales in comparison.
“If she does pull through this, Lily will have her bone removed from her leg, my baby girl will struggle to walk, never mind dance.
“But what my girl has is sheer guts and determination. She’s a fighter, never once complained about any pain even though she has been dancing for on average 20-plus hours a week, whilst having this cancer for probably about a year.”
Lily’s mum went on to thank family, friends and strangers and the many in the dancing community who are rallying to her daughter’s side.
Lily’s dance buddies will go to Germany in a couple of weeks to dance in the European championships, without her.
And a dancing friend, Erin, has organised Brave Lily Douglas a dance event for Lily.
Others, from JDN Dance Attic and Inspire Dance Studios, where until very recently the little girl was a popular regular, as well as pals from school, have donated their pocket money.
Anyone wishing to donate to the fundraising campaign should visit https:// www.gofundme.com/support-our-lily