Little Faye urges people to ‘Give Up Clothes For Good’ to help others like her survive cancer

A seven-year-old cancer patient from Liverpool has proudly rung the bell to mark the end of her treatment after a gruelling 18-months.

Last year Faye Boyle was diagnosed with rhabdomyosarcoma – a type of soft tissue cancer – after experiencing pains in her leg and stomach.

Now treatment is finally complete, Faye and her family are sharing their story during Childhood Cancer Awareness Month to help other children like Faye survive cancer.

They are asking people to donate items at TK Maxx stores as part of the Give Up Clothes for Good campaign in support of Cancer Research UK for Children & Young People.

There are around 400 new cancer cases in children and young people like Faye in the North West NHS region every year.*

Faye’s parents, Bex 34, and Dan, 36, first became concerned about Faye at the beginning of 2023 after she started to complain about a persistent pain in her leg.

She was referred to paediatrics during the February half term but soon after the pain progressed to her stomach, and she was rushed to A&E.

It was there doctors discovered a 23cm tumour hidden under her pelvis. Faye was just five years old at the time.

Bex, also mum to three-year-old Connie, said: “Faye had complained of stomach pains and had a random pain behind her knee. We were referred by the GP to paediatrics, who were concerned it was only on one side. However, things got worse before any paediatrics appointment was attended.

“We were due to go on a trip away and the car was packed ready to go, but I got a call to go to pick her up from school due to the tummy pains. So instead of going away, we took her to hospital – and we were there for three months.”

Faye was admitted to Alder Hey Children’s Hospital and three days later began intensive chemotherapy.

She underwent a 10-hour operation, where surgeons removed part of the tumour. But then Faye faced a setback when she developed sepsis and required life-saving surgery before she could be enrolled onto a clinical trial to target the rest of the growth.

Alder Hey Children’s Hospital in Liverpool is one of many centres across the UK taking part in groundbreaking clinical trials coordinated by Cancer Research UK’s dedicated clinical trial unit for children’s cancers. These trials make innovative new treatments available to children and young people with cancer across the North West. One of the trials is working to improve survival for patients with rhabdomyosarcoma, like Faye.

As part of the trial Faye received a new type of radiotherapy called proton beam therapy that uses a beam of high energy protons to precisely target a tumour, reducing the damage to surrounding healthy tissues and vital organs.

This week, Faye finally rang the bell to mark the end of treatment. Now she will be monitored with three monthly check-ups for the next five years.

Despite all she faced during her treatment Faye was able raise £9,000 for the ward that took care of her by making and selling ‘fairy potions’ from her hospital bed.

Now for the courage she has shown throughout her journey, Faye has received a Cancer Research UK for Children & Young People Star Award, in partnership with TKMaxx.

There is no judging panel because the charity believes every child diagnosed with cancer deserves special recognition. Everyone nominated receives a trophy, a £50 TK Maxx gift card, a t-shirt and a certificate signed by a host of celebrities. Their siblings also receive a certificate.

Faye’s family understand all too well the importance of new scientific breakthroughs and are now determined to help raise vital awareness and funds for life-saving research.

This September, they are urging people across Merseyside to clear out their wardrobes and donate any pre-loved quality fashion and homeware they no longer need to their nearest TK Maxx store as part of the Give Up Clothes for Good campaign.

When sold in Cancer Research UK shops, each bag of items donated could be worth up to £25 to help support research into children’s and young people’s cancers.

Bex added: “Faye kept us going throughout - she has faced some exceptionally low and scary moments and challenges with sickness, nutrition and mental health, but she did so well. It was hard on us all as a family, especially for her sister Connie too.

“Thanks to research Faye was able to go back to school with her friends this September and now we can all start getting back to some sort of normality. That’s why raising money for Cancer Research UK for Children & Young People is so vital.

“We want to help other families like ours, so Faye, Connie and I will be having a good clear out at home to find clothes and things to donate. We hope our experience will inspire others across Liverpool to do the same. Their unwanted items really could save lives.”

Cancer Research UK has helped to more than double children’s cancer survival in the UK since the 1970s. Today, more than 8 in 10 children and young people diagnosed with cancer will survive for at least 10 years, but there’s still much further to go.**

Cancer Research UK spokesperson for the North West, Jemma Humphreys, said: “We’re grateful to the Boyle family for helping to shine a light on some of the challenges faced by children like Faye that our scientists our working to tackle.

“Cancer is different in children and young people from the types of cancer that affect this age group to the long-term effects of treatment, such as hearing loss and infertility. So, it needs different and dedicated research which campaigns like Give Up Clothes for Good help to fund.

“It’s thanks to the generosity of our supporters, we are beating cancer. Step by step, day by day. More than 9 in 10 children and young people with cancer who receive cancer drugs on the NHS receive a drug linked to our work. And we’re unlocking discoveries about these cancers and translating them into new and less toxic ways to treat them.

“But, despite huge progress, too many young lives are still lost to this devastating disease. By donating any quality clothes or goods to their local TK Maxx store, people across Merseyside can help ensure more young people in the region - and across the UK – can live longer, better lives free from the fear of cancer.”

TK Maxx is the biggest corporate supporter of Cancer Research UK’s research into children’s and young people’s cancers. Since 2004, the retailer has raised over £45 million to help improve survival and reduce long-term side effects.

Give Up Clothes for Good is the UK’s longest running clothes collection. The public can donate at any TK Maxx store all year round. Use TK Maxx’s store finder here for locations: https://www.tkmaxx.com/uk/en/store-finder)

People can also show their support by wearing a gold ribbon badge – the awareness symbol of Childhood Cancer Awareness Month – available from Cancer Research UK shops during September.

Find out more at cruk.org/childrenandyoungpeople

To nominate a star, visit cruk.org/starawards