Care packages delivered to cancer patients after ‘incredible’ Sophie’s fundraiser
Twelve year old Sophie Eunson raised almost £4k for the packages
CANCER care packages have begun being delivered to patients at the Gilbert Bain Hospital thanks to the efforts of a determined 12-year old girl.
Sophie Eunson marched from Vementry to Da Briggs in the West Mainland earlier this year to raise funds for the packages, bringing in an incredible £3,925 in online donations alone.
She delivered the first batch of hand-made care packages to Ronas Ward at the Lerwick hospital last week, with the packages now set to be handed out to cancer patients.
Sophie 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 12-year old Sophie on to create her own bespoke parcels, with an initial aim to raise £300.
But she ended up raising 13 times that amount in online donations alone, with more coming in through cash as well.
Even Sophie admitted herself in June, “I was not expecting that much.”
“We’re absolutely blown away by it,” mum Grace told Shetland News then.
“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, ventured 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”.
Self-care items such as toothbrushes, mild toothpaste, hand creams and water bottles, as well as book vouchers, were proposed for the care packages.
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“We thought we would do this small charity thing and make up a few bags, but it’s completely grown arms and legs,” Grace told Shetland News in June.
“It’s looking like we’re going to be making up a lot of bags, which is great.”
Sophie handed over the first packages to the nurses at the Gilbert Bain Hospital’s Ronas Ward last week, with patients set to begin receiving them this week.
NHS Shetland’s cancer nursing team were full of praise for Sophie and her phenomenal fundraising efforts.
“We would like to extend our heartfelt thanks to Sophie for her incredible fundraising efforts and generous donation,” the team said.
“The care packages she has helped provide will offer comfort and practical support to people during what can be a very challenging time.
“We are enormously grateful for her support.”
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