A 12-year-old girl from Lincolnshire, Blathnaid, is set to perform in the Children in Need choir on national television. This follows her two-and-a-half-year journey through intensive chemotherapy for an aggressive blood cancer, which she completed recently.
Blathnaid, who lives near Sleaford, was diagnosed with T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukaemia at the age of nine. Her symptoms first appeared during an Easter Egg hunt when she struggled to walk and became ill. She was sent to A&E and transferred to Queen's Medical Centre in Nottingham for emergency surgery after her lungs filled with fluid.
Her treatment included chemotherapy, administered orally and through lumbar punctures, as well as via a central line in her chest. During her treatment, Blathnaid became very ill with an infection that led to multiple complications, including sepsis and pneumonia, causing her parents to fear they might lose her.
The cancer charity Pasic provided support to Blathnaid and her family throughout her illness, offering emotional and financial assistance, as well as organising trips and activities. Children in Need has supported Pasic for the past decade, with a recent grant of almost £88,000 over three years.
Blathnaid has been rehearsing for months, often by video, for her performance with the Children in Need choir. The broadcast is scheduled for BBC One and iPlayer from 7pm.