Bus is named Isla Smiler after inspiring youngster
Bus has been named after inspirational youngster
A BUS named after inspirational Hinckley youngster who died from a rare spinal tumour is travelling the UK raising awareness of child cancer.
Long-distance coach operator Megabus has christened one of its new vehicles Isla Smiler, in memory of brave Isla Tansey ( pictured).
Isla died, aged just seven, in July – less than a year after doctors discovered the tumour.
In the last few months of her life, she inspired thousands of people across the world to decorate and hide stones, but not before taking a photograph and posting it on social media.
Megabus has decided to continue her legacy by supporting the family’s ongoing #islastones campaign and has taken 1,000 painted stones on a journey across the country on Isla’s bus.
A spokesman said: “In September, we asked the public for 10 names for new vehicles based at our depot in Rugby. Ideas came flooding in via the hashtag #GiveMeAName.
“One suggestion captured our attention immediately as a number of people suggested naming a coach Isla Smiler, who had inspired thousands with a global art campaign to support her fight with cancer. “Pebbles were painted and hidden in all seven continents, with one placed by researchers at the South Pole, and her dedicated Facebook group reached more than 67,800 members.” As well as naming the coach Isla Smiler, megabus.com appealed to Isla’s supporters through the #islastones Facebook group to hand-paint 1,000 stones. The stones were collected and placed on board Isla’s coach, alongside a leaflet about her legacy. The coach is travelling between cities across the UK – including Leeds, Cardiff, Newcastle, Birmingham, Portsmouth and Coventry – to spread Isla’s message. Passengers are invited to take a stone to place at a location at the end of their journey, with people who find them in turn asked to #Photo #Post and #Rehide using the #islastones hashtag.
Additional decorations were added to Isla’s 74-seater coach and there are now 50 vinyls recreating stones from the Isla Smiler Facebook page.
Megabus operations director Tony Simmons said: “When we heard about the story of this brave little girl and how her life had impacted on so many people we felt we had to support the campaign in this way.
“We asked for each stone to have a transport theme and received many different designs. Each stone also included the hashtag #islastones.
“We’re hoping that by transporting these stones and the information across the country we’ll help to raise awareness of this wonderful little girl and in turn help to raise funds for the treatment of childhood cancers.”
Isla’s mum, Katherine Tansey, and members of the Isla Stones Facebook group were invited along to Coombe Abbey to view Isla’s coach and to place a number of stones within the grounds.
Katherine said: “The Isla Smiler coach is so much more than we ever expected. If Isla saw it she would smile and do a little hand clap. “Thank you, Megabus, so much for sharing her love, for making people smile and raising awareness of childhood can-