Minggu, 05 Agustus 2018

'I won't lose hope of beating brain cancer' says Justin Bieber fan Evie

No matter what her brain cancer treatment throws at her, inspirational Evie Whittaker's middle name - Hope - sums her up.

And even though the search for treatment has now shifted to Germany, complete with a potential £75,000 bill, the 19-year-old music fan refuses to be downbeat.

Evie's story first came to light in 2016 when she met her idol Justin Bieber and became one of the faces of the Nordoff Robins music therapy charity.

Diagnosed with brain cancer, surgery left her paralysed on the left side of body, while nerve damage completely changed her singing voice.

Evie Whittaker of Eaglescliffe is remaining defiant and upbeat
Evie Whittaker of Eaglescliffe is remaining defiant and upbeat (Image: Family photo)

Recently, with the cancer still present, she had six months of chemotherapy and six weeks of radiotherapy.

Unable to sit up due to a stroke, she lost her hair - and then had to go through the whole treatment process again.

Now, with the UK treatment options exhausted, friends Alex Mills and Holly Wilson have launched fundraising pages for the money needed to get Eaglescliffe girl Evie to Germany for immunotherapy treatment - where the body's immune system attacks cancer cells.

Mum Paula said: "We've reached the point where she can't have the UK treatment any more.

"The chemo she had - the first lot was the gold standard but it didn't work. Then we had really gruelling stuff they were using in the 1970s.

"Her scans are every 12 weeks and there are no new growths, but it's being suppressed rather than cured. That's why we're looking to Germany."

Evie Whittaker with Anne-Marie
Evie Whittaker with Anne-Marie (Image: Family photo)

But underpinning it all is hope - hope there's a bright future around the corner for a girl whose love of music still shines through.

In recent months, she's seen Taylor Swift in concert and, at the British Summertime Festival in Hyde Park, she met Justin Bieber's manager Scooter Braun - she met Bieber himself in 2016 - as well as singer Ann-Marie and Naughty Boy.

She's also pals with Nick "Peanut" Baines from her favourite band Kaiser Chiefs after they met at a Nordoff Robins event.

In addition, she made speeches at the Nordoff Robins Silver Clef awards and at a Legend of Football event, where she made a huge impression on Liverpool and England legend, and current Rangers manager, Steven Gerrard.

Evie with Steven Gerrard
Evie with Steven Gerrard (Image: Family photo)

Paula said: "Only Evie would stand up at a Legends of Football event and say 'I'm not really into football - I only like it when Steven Gerrard takes his top off.'

"But that's Evie. She's got an amazing sense of humour and whatever's thrown at her, she stays positive.

"She's a superstar. She still pushes and pushes herself - she's so determined.

"It's been a rough road - not just with her treatment, but some of her friends have passed away and that's really difficult to cope with.

"But all we do is positive - we don't 'do' negative."

As well as the fundraising pages, from which proceeds will be pooled together, Middlesbrough girl Hannah Larkin, founder of the Butterfly Giving teenage cancer charity, met Evie to donate £1,000 while artist friend Jenni Dixon is selling "Hope the Unicorn" prints, with £10 from each sale going to the fund.

Paula said: "We're amazed at the kindness of people.

"We still have a long way to go to raise the money, but nothing is impossible in Team Evie's world."

Visit www.gofundme.com/immunotherapy-for-evie and www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding

For unicorn prints, visit the Jenni_d_Art Facebook page.

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