A SOCIAL worker for a children’s cancer charity and several East Lothian businesses have teamed up to help raise money in memory of a baby who died from cancer.
Danisha Rice, from Pencaitland, sees the impact of childhood cancer on families every day through her role as a social worker for charity CLIC Sargent.
Having set up her own baking business, 29 Treat Street, in January, Danisha was keen to support one of the charities she works with, LoveOliver.
Danisha said: “As a CLIC Sargent social worker, I see first-hand the help and support offered to families by LoveOliver and, having recently set up my baking business, I was keen to do something for this charity, as they make my job easier on a daily basis.”
While everyone was feeling the pinch during the coronavirus pandemic, The mother-of-two added that smaller charities were even more hard-up, as their main sources of income, such as events and fundraisers, were unable to take place.
LoveOliver was set up in 2011 by Andy and Jennifer Gill, from Leven in Fife, after their son Oliver was diagnosed with a very rare and aggressive form of cancer. Oliver died at home on Christmas Day 2010 at 24 weeks old.
Oliver Gill with his parents Jennifer and Andy
The charity aims to raise awareness and fund research into childhood cancer and improve the quality of life of children in Scotland diagnosed with the illness, and also their families.
It also supports families at Royal Hospitals for Sick Children in Aberdeen, Edinburgh and Glasgow, and donates games, books and toys to the wards.
LoveOliver works closely with CLIC Sargent’s social workers to provide supermarket vouchers and financial grants for families, gift packs for children, healthy frozen meals for parents of children going through long inpatient stays and digital thermometers for each family facing childhood cancer.
To help this work continue, Danisha has teamed up with a number of East Lothian businesses to create “the ultimate Mother’s Day” hamper, which will raise money for LoveOliver. The winner will be decided via a raffle.
Pencaitland-based the Daisy Chain Florist, Ethereal Massage and Beauty, Rustik Catering and the village’s Spar store – owned by Danisha’s dad and brother, and where her sweet treats can be found – as well as Winton Brewery, its founders Steve Holligan and David Mackinnon, and Lumley’s Kitchen in Macmerry have all contributed prizes.
Each entry to the raffle costs £2, with all of the money going directly to the charity.
The raffle will be drawn tomorrow (Friday), with the prize being delivered to the lucky winner on Saturday.
An initial target of £250 has been smashed, with more than £445 raised so far.
For more information, visit uk.virginmoneygiving.com/NishaDeeRice
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