Fundraising efforts for little Charlie Jane’s cancer battle

FUNDRAISING efforts continue to ramp up to raise money for a six-year-old girl who will spend several weeks receiving an intense combination of radiotherapy and chemotherapy in Manchester next month.

Charlie Jane Duggan-Wray was diagnosed with a rare and aggressive form of cancer at the end of summer.

Since then, numerous events have been arranged to help attract donations to help support the young girl and her family, including two bingo events, a coffee morning, and sponsored walk.

The coffee morning was organised by her relative Sam Lynch, and took place in Cornabracken Childcare, Omagh, raising over £2,000.

The sponsored walk was held by St Catherine’s Primary School, Strabane, where Charlie Jane should have began her second year this September. So far, it has raised over £6,000.

Earlier this week, we spoke with Megan Harrigan, Charlie Jane’s cousin and a vital cog in the fundraising machine, to get an update on the young girl’s condition and to find out how you can help.

“At the end of summer, Charlie Jane was diagnosed with Rhabdomyosarcoma – a rare cancer that begins in the muscles attached to bones, and in Charlie Jane’s case, it was located near her eye.

“While the survival rate for children with this type of cancer is moderately high, the treatment involves gruelling rounds of chemotherapy and radiotherapy.”

Radiotherapy mask

On November 27, the day before her seventh birthday, Charlie Jane will fly to Manchester, where she will be fitted for a radiotherapy mask.

“At the minute she is getting about 48 hours of chemo per week. When she goes back to Manchester, she’ll be looking at five days of radiotherapy and two days of chemotherapy. That’ll be her for six to nine weeks,” said Megan.

For Leanne Duggan and Hugh Wray, Charlie Jane’s parents, and her three siblings, Megan said the journey so far has been devastating.

“Leanne and Hugh are just about coping; they are really struggling. What parent would be any different?” asked Megan. “However, while none of us can fix Charlie Jane, we can help a bit, and that’s by raising money to support them.”

Megan added, “We would like to thank everybody who has already donated. We are so grateful people have been so kind and generous.

“Children should grow up amongst friends in classrooms and playgrounds. Please help Charlie Jane leave the hospital rooms behind and get back to the playgrounds.”

For more information on the GoFundMe page and other fundraising events, you can visit the ‘Charlie Jane Charity Fundraiser’ page on Facebook.