A YOUNG cancer survivor from Dumfries has sent a good luck message to cyclists fundraising for the charity that helped her recover.
Stevie-Jo Kirkpatrick, 17, suffered from leukaemia twice as well as meningitis due to a rare bacterial infection.
Because of this, she struggled to attend school or make friends during her time as a child and teenager.
The Ellen MacArthur Cancer Trust have helped Stevie-Jo during her recovery by giving her support and helping to build up her confidence.
Following treatment in 2018 and 2019, the teen took part in two sailing trips with the Trust.
She is now a big fan of their work and has been keeping up-to-date with the progress of the cyclists fundraising for the organisation.
Stevie-Jo said: “When I went on my first trip I didn’t expect we’d be doing quite as much as we did with all the sailing.
“We had a chance to helm the yacht and everyone took a turn doing different things. It was really good making friends and meeting all the other young people on board and sharing our experiences.
“I felt much more confident coming out of the week because after my treatment I kind of closed up a little bit and shied away from things so it brought me back out of my shell a bit.”
The Ellen MacArthur Cancer Trust’s Largs to Cowes ‘Brighter Futures’ Cycle Challenge is a gruelling 600-mile challenge running from the west coast of Scotland to the Isle of Wight over eight days.
A team of nine riders have been tackling this challenge since beginning on June 17.
The first leg has already been completed and the team recently stopped at Castle Douglas for the night before making their way south on their route.
Stevie-Jo continued: “I’m wishing good luck to all the riders who are taking part in the Largs to Cowes cycle challenge because it will help other young people like me to benefit from the work of the trust.”
Stevie-Jo will be 18 at the end of the month and has just completed her Highers at Wallace Hall Academy. She now hopes to go to college with the aim of then going on to university to become a paediatric cancer nurse. She volunteers at Dumfries and Galloway Royal Infirmary alongside her studies.
