Blackpool Santa Dash returns to the sea front this December, raising vital money for Brian House Children’s Hospice.
Blackpool Santa Dash returns to the sea front this December, raising vital money for Brian House Children’s Hospice.
Santa Dash turns the promenade into a sea of red from the Sandcastle Waterpark to the Manchester Pub and back, and takes place on Sunday 4th December supporting the only children’s hospice on the Fylde coast.
This year, the event sponsor, The Kentown Wizard Foundation, has offered up a cash prize of £250 for three lucky people who sign up to the event, and five £50 Smyths Toys vouchers for lucky runners up.
Every penny raised in by people taking part in Santa Dash and raising money will go to providing specialist care for the most fragile children across Blackpool, Fylde and Wyre.
Among the Santas dashing on the day will be 15-year-old Kenzie McDermott who has been going to Brian House for the last two years as she recovers from gruelling symptoms and treatment for Acute Lymphatic Leukaemia.
Kenzie was just three weeks into year 7 at Fleetwood High School when she started feeling unwell. As well as constant sickness, she was bruising easily, feeling tired and had pains in her joints.
After a series of tests, doctors quickly diagnosed the cancer and Kenzie was taken to Manchester Children’s Hospital. She was put on chemotherapy which saw her and her family – her Mamma and Grandad – travelling to the hospital three times a week. During her treatment, doctors confirmed she had relapsed.
She had a bone marrow transplant, which despite early signs of success was followed by the news she had relapsed again.
At its worst, her treatment gave Kenzie such a bad reaction, she was put into a coma for six weeks.
She has since had a specialist therapy to remove and alter the T-Cells in her blood so they attack any cancer markers. Now, she says she’s beginning to feel like herself again.
“I’ll be on some form of treatment for the rest of my life, but I have my life back now,” she said.
“I’ve killed cancer.”
Kenzie describes Brian House Children’s Hospice as her happy place – providing a change of environment and the chance to just be herself.
She said: “I remember Brian House coming into hospital when I was ill. They bought loads of arts and crafts and it was really nice. It really helped to take my mind off everything that was happening. I think I was on an infusion of chemotherapy at the time.
“Since then, I’ve been going into Brian House and they just do stuff with me. We do cooking, play games and do arts and crafts. And they take me out. They’ve taken me bowling and to the circus and we’ve been to their allotment. I really like planting flowers.
“Being there makes me happy.”
Kenzie says she is looking forward to taking part in Santa Dash and supporting Brian House. To join her, visit www.blackpoolsantadash.co.uk.