John Penrose

Conservative Party | Weston-super-Mare

Brain tumour-beating Sophie-Louise (10) joins Weston MP John Penrose to present £1,074 to Weston Hospicecare

Nearing the end of a near six month course of radical radiotherapy and chemotherapy to blast a malignant brain tumour, ever bubbly ten-year-old, Sophie-Louise Andrew of Charlton Road, Weston, joined the town’s MP, John Penrose, and two of his parliamentary team, House of Commons-based researcher, Ben Davies, and constituency-based communications manager, Pat Daniells, to present a cheque for £1,074 to the chairman of Weston Hospicecare, Peter Griffiths.

 

The money was raised in £665 worth of pledges and donations secured by 24-year-old Winscombe man Ben Davies, a former Churchill Community School pupil and sixth former, who ran and completed the March 2nd, 13.1 mile, 2008 Paris half marathon in one hour, 57 minutes and two seconds, all on behalf of Weston Hospicecare.

 

Taking the tally to £1,074, Sophie-Louise also opened and counted £409 in notes and coins squashed into three Weston Hospicecare collection tins - money collected locally for the charity by the MP’s communications manager, Pat Daniells, 51, who was diagnosed with brain cancer two months ago following five hours of major surgery to remove what turned out to be a Grade Four glioma – the most cancerous and aggressive kind of brain tumour going.

 

Weston’s Sophie-Louise Andrew and Pat Daniells, who lives at Towerhead on the east side of Banwell, met at Bristol Oncology Centre where both are undergoing treatment.

 

Sophie-Louise’s current daily radiotherapy regime - which came hot on the heels of a gruelling four months of chemotherapy over week-long sessions - ends on March 18; Pat’s daily radiotherapy, mixed with the first stage of oral chemotherapy, ends on March 25. After a month off for “good behaviour”, Pat’s chemo ends in September.

 

In May, the ever smiling Sophie-Louise, who has been raised by her Nan, Caroline Andrew, since the age of five weeks, will also be heading to London and Parliament for a tour of the House of Commons, as a guest of John Penrose. Sophie-Louise’s own guests will include her Nan and five best friends from Uphill Primary School who will also all be treated to early summer tea and cakes on the terrace by the Weston MP.

 

In a gesture of “girlie” solidarity - in the face of radiotherapy and chemo-inducing temporary baldness - both Sophie-Louise and Pat Daniells abandoned all scalp covering hats, caps or scarves for the Saturday, March 8, cheque presentation to Weston Hospicecare.

 

Supporting individuals and entire families alike, Weston Hospicecare was founded in 1989 and each and every year provides specialist palliative care and support for around 600 adult patients with non-curative illnesses across North Somerset.

 

 

As well as friends, family and their local church, St Nicholas, in Uphill, Sophie-Louise Andrew and her Nan, Caroline, have been supported by specialist national children’s cancer charity, CLICK Sergeant, throughout Sophie-Louise’s illness which was revealed in full just last August when a series of brain scans, following a run of sudden seizures, revealed a long standing malignant Germ Cell tumour, the size of a golf ball, resting on her pituitary gland, restricting her growth; contributing to learning problems, diabetes and kidney problems.

 

Sophie-Louise did the March 8 Weston Hospicecare “gig” because she wanted to meet her local MP and knew the hospice and its work well because her great grandparents live in nearby Ellesmere Road, Uphill. 

 

With her 11th birthday coming up on April 23, Sophie-Louise is thrilled at the prospect of going to London and the House of Commons with her mates in May for a late birthday treat. She also wants to see her picture in the local newspapers so her school friends know what she has been getting up to.

 

Unable to attend school at the moment, Sophie-Louise has a home tutor, from 11.am. to 1p.m. most weekdays, travelling into Bristol Oncology Centre five days a week for mid-afternoon radiotherapy appointments.

 

Pat Daniells, who intends to beat her brain cancer with positive thinking and unparalleled support from her husband, friends and family, is continuing her fundraising drive for Weston Hospicecare with the aim of matching or exceeding her parliamentary colleague Ben Davies’s £665 half marathon fundraiser.

 

Having completed his first ever half marathon in Paris, Ben Davies is now in training to possibly run in next year’s full 26.2 mile London marathon.

 

Weston MP John Penrose is a staunch supporter of Weston Hospicecare which is renowned across his North Somerset constituency for its work in supporting people with life-threatening illnesses.

 

John Penrose says: “Showing real fighting force and spirit, Sophie-Louise’s story, and that of her family, is one of incredible bravery and courage and we are delighted to be able to help full fill just one little bit of one remarkable little girl’s dreams.

 

“For Sophie-Louise, at just ten-years-old, to know and appreciate Weston Hospicecare for the work it does with adults across our entire community is also a remarkable testament to this home-grown, local charity which touches the hearts and minds of everyone it reaches, be it directly or indirectly. 

 

“As both Ben and Pat found in their separate Team Penrose fundraising drives, you only have to mention Weston Hospicecare once and people not only know it but willingly support it with essential donations too. With statistics showing one in three of the population is likely to be struck by cancer at some time in their lives, this is a charity we can all afford to support and be proud of.”