Darling girl who inspired campaign
Eilidh Brown lost her battle with cancer at the age of just 14.
Described by friends and family as“a shining example and spectacular person, selfless, strong, positive and funny with an amazing understanding of the world”, she collapsed on a school trip in February 2009.
A scan showed she had a tumour the size of a melon which was promptly removed, along with Eilidh’s left ovary.
Tests showed the tumour was malignant and that she also had a form of Turners Syndrome, a chromosomal disorder which occurs in one out of 2000 girls and is likely to have made her predisposed to germ cell cancer in her ovaries.
Despite several major operations and gruelling treatments, her fight for life ended on March 25 2010 , just nine days before her 16th birthday. Her final words were“i love you”.
Her devastated family, however, were determined to help other families who found themselves faced with the unthinkable.
Mum Nicole said previously: “Eilidh was a wee darling. She was always more worried about everyone else than she ever was about herself, about how we were coping and especially her sister Hannah and brother Lewis.
“She was amazing. When she was given just hours to live she kept going for another two weeks. We were told she wouldn’t wake up again but she came round for two days before she died.”
The first families are expected to make use of the home which bears her name from this summer.
The charity estimates it now needs at least £50-60,000 a year to maintain and run the building as well as providing as much practical support and access to activities as possible for the families who stay there.
Nicole said:“we want to take off as much of the pressure as possible for them while they are there. We have had this drive and these emotions for 12 years and we need to put the same drive into keeping this going, albeit in a different way.”
To find out how to help the Eilidh Brown Memorial Fund visit www.eilidhbrown.co.uk