‘I was not expecting that’ – Sophie raises £3k for cancer care packages ahead of charity challenge
A TENACIOUS 12-year-old is set to march from Vementry to Da Briggs next week to raise funds to make care packages for cancer patients in the isles.
Sophie Eunson was inspired to take on the quest after her mother Grace, who was diagnosed with breast cancer earlier this year, found the chemotherapy care packages she received from various charities contained many of the same items.
That spurred Sophie on to create her own bespoke parcels – with an initial aim to raise £300.
But she has raised an incredible 10 times that amount so far – with £2,000 in online donations and £1,000 in cash – in a feat that has left her family stunned.
Even Sophie admitted herself: “I was not expecting that much.”
“We’re absolutely blown away by it,” mum Grace told Shetland News.
“We were expecting a couple of hundred pounds and to do something on a smaller scale, so it’s just astounding.
“She’s really, really proud of it, and so she should be.”
Sophie, who says she likes to walk, will venture between Vementry and Da Briggs with her dad, friends and family on Saturday 4 July.
She said she had decided to do it because “I’ve heard it’s nice to do something for charities, and I heard that walk is really good”.
Preparations for next weekend have seen Sophie walking 30 minutes from home to her auntie’s house, and three-hour walk around Eshaness.
Sophie said she was looking forward to the challenge next weekend, and thinks she could have up to 80 care packages to make with all the money that she has raised.
The chemotherapy care packages could include self-care items such as toothbrushes, mild toothpaste, hand creams and water bottles, Sophie said, as well as book vouchers.
Her mother, Grace, was diagnosed with breast cancer in January and is continuing her treatment at the moment.
She said the care packages had been extremely welcome, but that their bairns had been puzzled by items being repeated.
“You would get things like hand cream and mild toothpaste, which was nice because you don’t know what to expect when you go through it [chemotherapy],” Grace said.
“There was hot chocolate and sweeties which were nice for the kids, they enjoyed rummaging through them.
“The only thing was we were getting the same things over and over again, so Sophie said ‘why don’t we make our own ones with things we actually want?’”
That led to Sophie’s charity challenge, but Grace said they had never expected it to become so big.
“We thought we would do this small charity thing and make up a few bags, but it’s completely grown arms and legs.
“It’s looking like we’re going to be making up a lot of bags, which is great.”
The bags will be given to the chemotherapy ward in Shetland, helping to give a lift to those going through their cancer journey.
Grace said they were continually in awe of the generosity of the people of Shetland, with her husband and his friends also running the Simmer Dim half marathon this month – and raising £6,000 in the process.
“I think for Sophie, it is giving her a positive out of a very negative thing just now,” Grace added.
“She’s very, very excited. She’s really, really proud of it, and so she should be.”
For Grace, she is hopeful that her cancer journey is coming to an end.
“Sophie does her walk next weekend, then the following week I get my last round of chemo,” she said.
“It’s one round of chemo then surgery. That should be the end of it, I hope.
“It has been rough, but we’ve had a lot of support which has made it a lot easier.”
You can donate to Sophie’s fundraiser here.
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