An Aberdeenshire teenager who suffers from a rare form of cancer has inspired a £20,000 fundraising campaign.
Abigail Cox, 18, from Inverurie, was diagnosed with Ewing’s Sarcoma, a bone cancer, in February and has been undergoing treatment in Edinburgh’s Western General and Glasgow’s Beatson Centre ever since.
The teenager is the daughter of Gary Cox, who runs both the Northern Hotel in Aberdeen and Edwards nightclub in Inverurie.
Since his daughter’s diagnosis, the Aberdeen City and Shire Hotels’ Association (ACSHA), of which Gary is a member, has decided to raise the funds for the Teenage Cancer Trust (TCT).
Mr Cox, who is married to Dawn and has another teenage daughter, Olivia, 15, and a son, Edward, 17, said: “The treatment’s going well, she was being treated in Edinburgh because she is studying business management at Heriot-Watt.
“Obviously you don’t believe it’s happening to your own children. My parents had undergone treatment but to hear your own daughter has got cancer, it’s completely different.
“The trust has been a big part of Abigail’s progress. They have got all the mod cons to make sure teens are comfortable.
“Her doctor and nurses have been very on the ball with her in terms of letting her know what’s happening next.”
ACSHA has 44 member hotels across the area, and each is being asked to raise at least £450 towards the target.
Mr Cox continued: “The association heard about my daughter’s cancer and were aware of the help the trust has given her.
“They decided to use their annual fundraising efforts for this, which is close to everyone’s heart.
“I’m very proud and pleased that they wanted to do that for me. There’s a lot of people involved, we have set a target we think we can achieve and it’s a sizeable amount for the trust.
“There’s not currently a teenage unit in the north-east so hopefully this will raise some awareness of that and also encourage teenagers who have any constant pain to go and see their doctor – that’s how Abigail was diagnosed.”
TCT pin badges are being sold at hotel receptions, and an online fund-raising page has also been set up at
virginmoneygiving.com/team/aberdeenhotelsassociation
.
The money will be handed over to the charity at the Aberdeen City and Shire Tourism Awards dinner and dance on January 30 next year.