Our daughter Poppy, 5, is battling leukaemia for third time – please help Sun bring cheer to sick kids this Christmas
AS little Poppy Catterall has leukaemia treatment for the third time, her family hope to make precious memories with her this Christmas.
Mum and dad Che and Jordan, together with five-year-old Poppy and her brother Jude, seven, have joined celebrities backing The Sun on Sunday’s Christmas Wrapping For Kids campaign.
We are calling on YOU, our army of readers, to help bring some festive cheer to sick children.
And we want you to head to The Works stores nationwide or go online to buy special wrapping paper designed by our readers’ children.
Proceeds will buy presents for kids in hospitals and fund childhood cancer specialists via our charity partner The Azaylia Foundation.
Poppy was diagnosed with cancer at 15 months after falling ill during a family holiday to Greece in 2020.
Following treatment, she became cancer-free on December 31, 2022, then overcame a relapse six weeks later.
Che, 29, and Jordan, 31, a commissioning manager, received the news that Poppy’s cancer was back, for a third time, in July.
Just two weeks later, Che, of Bromley, South East London, found out she was pregnant and is now expecting a baby boy.
From Poppy’s bedside at King’s College Hospital, London, she said: “We’re proud to back the Christmas Wrapping For Kids campaign to get gifts to children who will be in hospital, fighting cancer this year.
“We’re going to give Christmas our all. Poppy and Jude are very excited.
“Even when Poppy has looked so poorly, she has always had a smile on her face.
“She doesn’t know any different, she has been a warrior from the start.
“We’ve been told she has months but I don’t want a solid time frame. We’re distraught but when she’s good we do everything we can.”
The couple have arranged pal- liative care for Poppy and committed to giving her the best life they can in the time she has left.
They have already taken her to Disneyland Paris and Lapland.
Now they are supporting the campaign to help other sick children via The Azaylia Foundation, which has supported them during Poppy’s illness.
It was founded by ex-Coventry City footballer Ashley Cain and Safiyya Vorajee, who lost their daughter Azaylia to cancer at eight months old in April 2021.
Last night, a host of stars gave their backing too.
They include Denise van Outen, 50, whose father Ted, 81, was diagnosed with cancer a year ago.
She said: “I’m fully behind The Sun on Sunday’s Christmas Wrapping For Kids.
“Not only will you be giving your loved ones presents this Christmas, but you can also give children affected by cancer, and their families, a gift by using the beautiful paper.”
Denise, who is spending Christmas with her dad, added: “Being personally affected by cancer in my family, I know how heartbreaking it is.”
We’re proud to back the Christmas Wrapping For Kids campaign to get gifts to children who will be in hospital, fighting cancer this year
Mum Che
The Chase star Anne Hegerty, 66, added: “Everyone should get behind this campaign.
“I lost my mother to cancer when she was 68.
“It was sudden and horrible, but it must be even more dreadful when it’s a child and you don’t know how to help.”
Former EastEnder Danielle Harold, 32, said: “Christmas is a time for giving and thinking about those who need our help.
“I would urge everyone to get down to The Works and buy this special wrap-ping paper. Let’s get it to sell out!”
The Duchess of York, who has had cancer, is also giving her support.
And the family of ten-year-old Archie Branyik, who was diagnosed with leukaemia nearly two years ago, also gave their backing.
Mum Natalie, 36, of Orp-ington, Kent, said: “When Archie was diagnosed my world fell apart.
“Archie asked if he was going to die and we told him straight away, ‘No, you’re going to kick cancer’.
“We’ve lived by that every day since.”
Archie is undergoing chemotherapy and he remains courageous beyond his years.
Natalie said: “He hasn’t moaned once. We try to give him as normal a life as we can.
“The kindness of other people, especially when it is other children making it possible for kids who are poorly to receive a gift, makes children like Archie know he is not forgotten.”
Lynne Tooms, of The Works, added: “We’re proud to be partnering with The Sun on Sunday to support The Azaylia Foundation.
“We encourage everyone to come to their local The Works store to buy this wrapping paper and raise funds to bring smiles to seriously ill children this Christmas.”
‘THESE LITTLE THINGS MAKE A DIFFERENCE’
GOURAGEOUS Eve Wilson is one of those who is backing our Christmas Wrapping For Kids campaign.
The schoolgirl, who turns 16 on Thursday, has a rare type of brain tumour called craniopharyngioma.
She said: “I think it’s great that The Sun on Sunday, The Works and The Azaylia Foundation are working together for such a special cause.
“Being in hospital is boring and makes you feel isolated.
“So, an unexpected gift feels really magical and helps raise your spirits and lets you know that other people are thinking about you.
“I want to encourage people to buy the wrapping paper, raising more awareness for what some children have to go through and face every day and to help get more gifts to children in hospital this Christmas.”
Eve has already scored top grades in two GCSEs after taking them a year early to fit around her treatment.
She first became unwell in 2019, the year before she started secondary school.
Her eyesight went fuzzy, she lost weight, her face drooped and she became so sleepy that she would nod off while friends were over to play.
Her life-threatening tumour was discovered by an MRI scan.
“We were in pieces,” said mum Penny, 49, a project manager from Havant, Hampshire.
An unexpected gift feels really magical and helps raise your spirits and lets you know that other people are thinking about you
Eve Wilson
“She was taken to Southampton General Hospital by ambulance and had brain surgery the next day.
“It felt like it lasted for ever. I sat in the cafe crying.”
The impact of Eve’s cancer has been enormous for her, Penny, dad Darren, 51, who works in Waitrose, and brother Oli, 19. But they say receiving a present can make such a difference.
Penny said: “To receive a Christmas present is huge for families like ours. It lights up a child’s day.”
While surgery successfully drained the fluid, the location of Eve’s tumour in the centre of her brain makes it too dangerous to remove, meaning it must be monitored for life.
After further treatment, doctors say the tumour has stabilised.
But her health continues to be affected, including by extreme tiredness.
Eve added: “It’s little things like this that really make a difference to a child fighting cancer and helps them forget what they’re going through, even if it’s just for a moment.
“It would be a wonderful birthday gift if the wrapping paper sold out.”
HOW YOU CAN BRING A SMILE TO ILL CHILDREN
OUR limited-edition wrapping paper – designed by competition winners Quinn Jenkinson, 12, Daisy Tullett, eight, and five-year-old Cassius Greenhalgh – is available to buy at The Works stores across the country.
You can also get hold of it at theworks.co.uk. Just search “The Sun on Sunday”.
Profits from sales will go to buying gifts for children battling cancer in hospital this Christmas, and towards providing funding for childhood cancer specialists and their research through the Azaylia Foundation.
The foundation’s Safiyya Vorajee said: “I want to say a massive thank you to each and every one of you out there for supporting the Azaylia Foundation, for backing The Sun on Sunday and for The Works, because this charity paper is not just paper wrapping our presents for Christmas this year.
“It is making a significant difference for children fighting childhood cancer.
“If you haven’t already got it, then make sure you go out and buy yours today.”