Girl's 30-shirt challenge during brain tumour treatment

An eight-year-old girl undergoing radiotherapy for a recurring brain tumour has set herself the challenge of wearing a different football shirt on every day of her treatment.

Lola, from Salford, is aiming to wear 30 shirts in 30 days during her time at The Christie hospital.

She plans to auction the shirts, donated by clubs and footballers, to raise money for The Christie Charity and Royal Manchester Children's Hospital.

The challenge follows a similar fundraiser she completed aged four, when she wore a different princess outfit to each of her 36 proton beam therapy sessions.

Her dad, James, who works for Bolton Wanderers FC, said: "It started off as something for her and then the staff were asking what she was coming in as tomorrow, and the other patients were looking forward to it as well."

Lola and her family are in The Christie's fundraiser Hall of Fame after they raised more than £10,000 with a festival-style party fundraiser for her fifth birthday.

James said it was a "shock" when they were told that her brain tumour had returned in August.

"I couldn't believe we were going to go through it all again," he said.

"She has been through so much at such a young age."

Her mum Kerry said: "She is a little pot of magic.

"We couldn't be anymore proud of her."

The shirt challenge is giving the family something to look forward to every day, Kerry added.

Each shirt is wrapped up so she has something to open every morning before she sets off for a sessions. She is scheduled to go five mornings a week for six weeks.

"It's like a birthday present every morning," Lola said.

Some of the shirts are from her favourite players but the family want them to be a surprise.

James said the support from the football community, especially her beloved Wanderers, has been "unbelievable".

"People who have never met her have gone out of their way for a little girl they do not know," he said.

She wore a Wanderers shirt on her first day and has insisted she will be wearing a Wanderers top on last day, too.

Her dad said: "The Christie looked after Lola when she was four and they are looking after her again now, so if her idea raises something for them, that is the least we can do."

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