£800 raised as Team Cleo walk in memory of schoolgirl

Shrewsbury schoolgirl Cleo Postlethwaite died of brain cancer in March, aged 10.

Earlier this month her friends and family did a charity walk to celebrate her life and have raised almost £800 to help fund vital research into brain tumours.

Cleo's mum, Jane Park, said: "The Team Cleo Twilight Walk was about coming together in celebration of Cleo and all of her wonderfulness.

“It felt so supportive and comforting to be with people who all loved her and she was in everyone’s minds each step of the way.”

Starting from The Quarry in Shrewsbury, the walkers - all encouraged to wear bright colours which Cleo loved – included dad Alex, sister Ella and brothers Oscar and Tristan, friends and staff from Crowmoor Primary School and staff who cared for her at the Princess Royal Hospital, Haywards Heath.

Jane, who wore Cleo’s favourite multi-coloured stripy jumper for the 5km walk along the river to The Abbey pub, said: “There were also many other friends who have supported us as a family.

“I made 'Team Cleo Always’ T-shirts for her friends, with the help of DecoStitch and the pub provided food for us after the walk as their contribution – everyone was so generous and kind.”

Cleo was diagnosed in March last year with an inoperable grade three (cancerous) anaplastic astrocytoma.

A few months later, despite radiotherapy and chemotherapy, a scan revealed her tumour was now a grade 4 glioblastoma – the most aggressive form of brain cancer with a prognosis of 12-18 months.

Events

Cleo died in her family’s arms almost exactly a year later.

The family set up the Team Cleo Fund with The Brain Tumour Charity at thebraintumourcharity.org/get-involved/our-supporter-groups/supporter-groups/groups/the-team-cleo-fund which has so far raised nearly £35,000 through concerts, bake sales and other events.

And they also support the charity’s HeadSmart campaign at headsmart.org.uk to raise awareness about children’s brain tumour symptoms and reduce diagnosis time.

Jane said: “Cleo inspired so much good that we are carrying on in her name as we want to help raise awareness and fund research into this cruel disease to save other families losing their Cleos.”

Sarah Lindsell, The Brain Tumour Charity’s chief executive, said: “We are so grateful Jane and Alex held a Twilight Walk in their gorgeous girl’s memory.

“Brain tumours are the biggest cancer killer of children and under-40s in the UK – yet just three per cent of the £500 million spent a year on cancer research is spent on brain tumours.

“We receive no government funding and rely 100 per cent on wonderful supporters like Jane and Alex, donations and gifts in wills to help fund vital research.”