Girl, 10, crochets bunting for each week of chemo
A 10-year-old is crocheting a bunting triangle for every week of her chemotherapy to raise funds for cancer research.
Doctors told Kirsty in November that she had a brain tumour, which was causing her to lose her eyesight and memory.
The girl, from Tunbridge Wells, is currently undergoing 70 weeks of chemotherapy and took on the bunting challenge in support of Children with Cancer UK.
Her mum Kate told BBC Radio Kent: "We try and be as positive as we can and I think this is the most positive thing we can possibly do."
Kirsty said she was taught to crochet by a family friend last year and had been learning from different YouTube tutorials since.
She has crocheted 44 of the 70 "unique" triangles so far and will hang the completed bunting in her local cafe initially, then move it to her hospital ward.
Her Crochet for Cancer campaign has already raised more than £9,000 for the charity, and the 10-year-old wants to deliver leaflets about her work "to most of the houses in Kent".
Kate said: "It's just so nice to see that the response from the community so far has been fantastic.
"It really boosts us, because it's going to be a long road ahead."
After her diagnosis Kirsty was hospitalised for two weeks to have a chunk of the tumour, which she has named Terry, surgically removed.
She said her chemotherapy symptoms "aren't too bad" and her memory and sight have returned.
"Because I've had experience of it, I feel more sympathy to even worse stories than my story," she added.
Mum Kate said as a parent she felt "helpless" and she just had to "trust in the NHS, who have been wonderful".
Kirsty's father Mat said the day they got the diagnosis was "pretty gruesome" and described Kirsty's time in hospital as "some of the lowest points we've had as parents".
"You are sleeping on a roll-out bed alongside your daughter, listening to the beeps and the noises all through the night, just looking at her and willing her to get better," he said.
Things started to look up once Kirsty returned home, he added, saying the whole family tries to "search for normality, no matter how much medical stuff is going on".
He said: "Everyone said to us 'just take it day by day', which is easy advice to give but very hard to follow.
"You're wondering about where they are going to go to school, what they are going to do, and who are they going to be.
"This condition has forced us to focus on what we can do today, this week, this month to enjoy ourselves as much as we can."
Follow BBC Kent on Facebook, on X, and on Instagram. Send your story ideas to southeasttoday@bbc.co.uk or WhatsApp us on 08081 002250.
Family hit by cancer trauma calls for more support
Charity set up in memory of girl, 7, donates £1m
Inside cancer centre treating 150k patients a year
Crochet for Cancer
Children with Cancer UK
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Tom's Guide
3 hours ago
- Tom's Guide
Fart walking — do this 10-minute indoor walking workout immediately after eating to lower your blood sugar, aid weight loss
If you've been on TikTok recently, you've probably heard about fart walking — the idea of going for a walk after eating to help boost digestion and relieve bloating. Yet according to research published in the International Journal of General Medicine, there's another huge benefit of walking directly after a meal: lowering your blood sugar. If weight loss is your goal, lowering your sugar levels is a good place to start. The best part about this workout is you don't have to leave your house — perfect if you've got kids upstairs in bed, or you don't want to walk alone in the evenings. All you'll need is 10 minutes, and perhaps a yoga mat to walk on. If you want to check out your calorie burn, strapping one of the best fitness trackers to your wrist might help, but as with all indoor walking workouts, you'll want to make sure you're swinging your arms throughout for a more accurate reading. The workout, devised by fitness coach Caroline Jordan, was shared on her YouTube channel. "You can use this video immediately after eating to lower your blood sugar," Caroline says, and users in the comment section of the video have claimed the workout helped them to lose weight. Far from just walking on the spot for 10 minutes, the workout involves various marches, side steps, hamstring stretches, and overhead reaches. It's designed to boost your digestion. The best part is, you won't need any special equipment; you can just follow along with Caroline in real time. According to the International Journal of General Medicine study, there are several benefits to walking straight after a meal. Get instant access to breaking news, the hottest reviews, great deals and helpful tips. The researchers compared the benefits of a 30-minute walk straight after a meal to a 30-minute walk one hour after eating. Participants completed a month of walks, and the team found that the group who walked for 30-60 minutes right after their meals lost more weight. But why? Walking after a meal reduces your blood sugar levels and the level of sugar in your interstitial fluid (the layer of fluid surrounding your body's cells). While digestion uses this glucose for energy, excess glucose in your bloodstream can be stored as fat. If you're looking to lose or manage your weight, focusing on your blood glucose levels is a good place to start. Of course, if you'd prefer to head outdoors, especially in the summer months, you have the added mental health boost of an evening walk, which can lower your stress levels and help you sleep better. That fart walk might not be so silly after all! Why not carve out 10 minutes and give this workout a try?
Yahoo
20 hours ago
- Yahoo
Waste depot staff given free health checks as part of initiative in Colchester
STAFF at a waste and recycling depot in Colchester have received free health checks as part of a workplace wellbeing initiative. The checks were conducted at the Shrub End depot by the NHS on the Open Road SOS Bus using a SiSU machine. This initiative identified staff with possible undiagnosed hypertension and formed part of Colchester Council's week-long focus on the health and wellbeing of its staff. The SiSU machine measured not only blood pressure, but also heart rate, body composition, and body mass index. Enthusiastic depot employees hopped aboard the bus for their checks. Mike Watkins, one of the staff members, expressed his gratitude, saying: "It makes us feel valued. "I'm keen to find out about my blood pressure and learn what to do about it if it's not where it should be." Martyn Peck (Image: Suffolk and North East Essex ICB) Worker Darren Hammett added: "I haven't had my blood pressure checked in a while, so I've come along today to find out what it is." The initiative also received positive feedback from staff, including Kevin Cook, who recommended other large workplaces to adopt similar practices. He said: "It's important to look after your health." Similarly, Martyn Peck expressed his desire for reassurance about his health and praised the initiative for aiding the early detection of health problems. Dr. Hasan Chowhan, senior partner at Creffield Medical Group, outlined the significance of the initiative. He said: "High blood pressure is a silent killer. "Many people don't realise they have the condition until they have a heart attack or stroke. "The good news is that it's possible to get it under control. For some that may mean making a few lifestyle changes; others will need to take medications as well. "These simple steps could save your life. "They could also help save your quality of life as both strokes and heart attacks can leave people with long-term disabilities." The initiative was planned with the indispensable support of the NHS Suffolk and North East Essex Integrated Care Board. Nerinda Evans, director of strategic programmes at the care board, said: "We helped to put on this event because we saw it as a great opportunity to talk to people directly about the dangers of undiagnosed high blood pressure. "Prevention is the key thing here. We are actively trying to support people before they have a heart attack or stroke. "We hope everyone at Colchester Recycling Centre will tell their friends and family about the importance of checking your blood pressure to help spread this important message.' The Open Road SOS Bus, commissioned by Essex County Council, plays a vital role in delivering workplace health checks, acting as a key aspect of its services. Stacey Banner, welfare and volunteer manager for the bus, said: "Early detection is crucial in preventing serious health conditions. "We are dedicated to ensuring that all individuals have access to fundamental healthcare services." This event also provided information about the new urgent care dental service, offering NHS treatment in one to seven days for problems like toothache, infections, and broken fillings. John Spence, councillor responsible for children's services, adult social care, public health and integration at Essex County Council, said: "Healthy workforces are happy and competitive workforces. "By taking the stations directly to local people, we are making health checks accessible and helping residents, especially those in manual jobs, take control of their health." The council's proactive approach extends beyond health checks, offering mental health support and other wellbeing aids for staff. Julie Young, deputy leader of Colchester Council and councillor responsible for housing, said: "We're proud to support initiatives that put our staff's wellbeing first. "The health checks at the household waste and recycling depot are a simple but powerful reminder that prevention saves lives. "This is exactly the kind of proactive approach we want to see more of across our workplaces – making it easier for people to take control of their health and stay well." People wanting workplace health checks, mental health support, or other staff wellbeing support can contact:
USA Today
a day ago
- USA Today
RFK Jr. dismissing experts creates deadly vaccine hesitancy
Kennedy has long planted the seeds of vaccine hesitancy, despite evidence that contradicts his falsehoods. Now we are once again seeing more children succumb to vaccine-preventable diseases. Since 1964, pediatricians have looked to the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices to provide evidence-based recommendations regarding childhood vaccines. We represent more than 80 years of experience as pediatricians in Nashville and have benefitted from ACIP throughout our careers. On June 9, our clinic days were disrupted by the news that Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. had dismissed all 17 ACIP members. These members are academic clinicians, epidemiologists, immunologists and infectious disease experts. Their service was driven not by money or fame, but by a commitment to the collective health of Americans. ACIP meetings were transparent, being broadcast live and then archived on YouTube, while agendas were posted well in advance of each meeting. The public could request to ask questions at meetings as well as review slide decks that were presented. ACIP worked to avoid member conflicts of interest Kennedy's implication that he was reconstructing the committee to prevent conflicts of interest is far from the truth. In order to preserve objectivity and limit corporate influence on their recommendations, ACIP members already disclose any potential conflict of interest in advance. If a member has a potential conflict, they are not permitted to participate in vaccine discussions, or to vote on that vaccine or any vaccine that a company might bring before ACIP – even if that member didn't work on that specific vaccine. Opinion: As a doctor, I know it will take more than dietary changes to Make America Healthy Again Kennedy also implied that ACIP only ever adds vaccines to the schedule, acting as a rubber stamp for industry. But ACIP recommendations came after analyzing evidence and weighing the benefits and risks. The 1972 decision to stop vaccinating for smallpox was a significant and very well-informed move, reflecting an in-depth understanding of both the science and the broader public health context. The 2016 recommendation to reduce the number of doses for the HPV vaccine also shows that ACIP actively engaged in fine-tuning vaccination schedules based on the latest research, rather than to increase industry profits. It's crucial for these bodies to make decisions based on science, not external pressures or adherence to a certain ideology. Kennedy creates vaccine hesitancy that lead to childhood diseases As pediatricians, we have seen patients die from vaccine-preventable diseases. Our pediatric forefathers cared for children in iron lungs due to paralytic polio. Opinion: Please stop letting RFK Jr. make vaccine policies. His new COVID plan is deadly. Kennedy has planted the seeds of the anti-vaccination movement for more than two decades, despite evidence that contradicts his falsehoods. Due to the vaccine hesitancy and refusal he promotes, we are once again seeing more children succumb to vaccine-preventable diseases in America. So far in 2025, we have had pediatric deaths from measles and whooping cough, not to mention more than 200 deaths from influenza. Those numbers will only escalate in the future. Kennedy's decision to eliminate trustworthy members of the ACIP fundamentally changes the nature of this committee. Institutional memory and the trust of physicians were obliterated in one fell swoop. We hold little hope that HHS can put a new trusted committee together in time for the next scheduled ACIP meeting Jun 25-26, given Kennedy's preference for conspiracy theorists and other unqualified people. Through our careers as community pediatricians, we have been blessed by the opportunity to partner with wonderful families who desire what is best for their children. We fervently hope this relationship will be the most important factor when families make decisions regarding vaccinating their children. We call on our elected officials to reinstate the ACIP members Kennedy dismissed and to empower them to continue their work to limit damage from infectious diseases. Doing so will actually help make Americans healthier. James Keffer, MD; Chetan R Mukundan, MD; Jill Obremsky, MD; Elizabeth Triggs, MD; and David Wyckoff, MD, are local pediatricians practicing in different settings around Nashville. This column originally appeared in The Tennessean.
