'She’s overcome so much and still has so much to endure': New fundraiser starting for Telford's Dulcie

A raffle is being launched this weekend to help raise money for a little Telford girl who is fighting cancer.

Dulcie a year ago, compared to recently this year. Picture: Debbie O'Kelley

Dulcie's Easter Raffle has attracted scores of prizes to help six-year-old Dulcie O'Kelly's family have a fall-back position if leading edge treatment fails to stop her stage four neuroblastoma.

Even though Dulcie, from Lawley, is looking healthy in recent pictures posted online by her mum Debbie, she still has a long way to go before she can, as Debbie says, "kick cancer's butt".

Announcing the raffle, Debbie wrote: "On Saturday we will be launching ‘Dulcie’s Easter Raffle’ and we’ve been so overwhelmed with how many people have offered to help, I wish I could hug you all individually.

Dulcie pictured at one of the numerous fundraisers held for her, this one a charity netball day at Charlton School

"You’ve no idea how much I appreciate all you have done for our warrior."

Dulcie has a mini army of supporters in the county who have been dubbed Dulcie's Warriors, who have already raised thousands of pounds through their efforts.

Debbie has received raffle donations from all over the country.

Netball for Dulcie at Charlton School, one of the many fundraisers held for the six year old

She said: "It’s mad to think how much has happened in those 12 months and how far Dulcie has come.

"I couldn’t be more proud of her if I tried, she’s overcome so much and still has so much more to endure, yet she stays strong and smile and her spark shines through.

Dulcie was diagnosed with stage 4 neuroblastoma in December 2021 and has undergone many rounds of chemotherapy, plasma and blood transfusions, a 10-hour surgery and stem cell harvest.

Lawley Primary School, where Dulcie O'Kelly is a pupil, and schoolfriends had a dress pink day to help fundraise

Debbie said: "Unfortunately all that was in vain and Dulcie relapsed before she had even had a chance to clear the disease, and as such she is now on a trial, she's the first on it within the UK but so far it hasn't done the job we thought/hoped it would.

"We have one more round of this trial before we have to start looking for alternatives. We may also need to start looking further abroad but we need your help to do this."

An online raffle fundraiser on the JustGiving website will see money go to the charity Solving Kids' Cancer Europe.

Prizes up for grabs include £100 vouchers to use at local businesses, luxury gift sets, a 12-week online fitness course and two-course meals at Shropshire eateries. Tickets are £3 a strip and the raffle goes live at 10am on Saturday.

The treatment Dulcie is receiving at Leeds Children's Hospital is an innovative drug trial and the hospital says its research will lead to hundreds more children like Dulcie benefitting from participation in and learning from cutting edge research and trials.

Dulcie will be heading off to Leeds for the seventh stage of leading edge treatment in April and there are other options if that does not lead to the vital remission.

Donations can be made at justgiving.com/page/dulcies-easter-raffle or via PayPal using the email debraok82@outlook.com

You'll need to leave your full name online to be allocated a strip number.

You can message Debbie via her instagram page instagram.com/dulcies_neuroblastoma_journey/

There is also more information and contact details on the fundraising page at solvingkidscancer.org.uk/appeal/dulcie