On World Cancer Day Kim Leadbeater MP has thanked all the parents, teachers and pupils who helped raise funds for a five-year-old cancer patient Beau in last Friday’s Rain-Beau Day.
Sixty schools across the area took part and the effort raised an extraordinary £27,525. Pupils were allowed to wear their own clothes and many came in rainbow colours to help raise funds for little Beau to go to New York for potentially life-saving treatment.
Beau’s Mum, Shirley Hepworth, from Roberttown said: “Rain-Beau Day was more than just a non-uniform day, it was more than just the astronomical amount of funds raised, this was a community of people coming together to create something so powerful that I can imagine people from far and wide will look on in awe.
“Thank you to everybody who made the effort to come together on Rain-Beau Day. I am so proud to be part of this community and I am and will forever remain humbled by you all.
“This last year has been so difficult for my family but in my hour of need on Christmas Eve 2021 I reached out to my community and my goodness were they there! I have never felt so overwhelmed as I have in the last four weeks.”
Debbie Parr from St.Joseph’s Catholic Primary Academy, who had the idea for Rain-Beau day, said: “We can’t believe the completely phenomenal total raised which has far exceeded all of our expectations. Some of the schools have said themselves that they have never had a day like it where so many donations came in for a cause. We’ve had all kinds of messages and the photographs from the day are amazing – so colourful in their Rainbeau outfits and smiles galore.”
Ms Hepworth is trying to raise £317,000 to enable Beau to have the ground-breaking vaccine treatment that could keep her alive in the next few months. More than half this sum has already been raised.
Information and pictures about all the fund-raising efforts can be seen on Beau’s Facebook page, here.
Kim Leadbeater MP said: “The way Beau’s appeal has captured the hearts of people across Batley and Spen and further afield has been amazing. It shows our community at its best and I want to say a huge thank you to everybody who is doing so much to help get Beau the treatment she so desperately needs.”
To see the many fundraising efforts and make a contribution, visit here.
