Kind-hearted supporters of young Southport mum Katie Froggatt have raised over £7,000 for her, through a fundraising walk from Ainsdale to Birkdale followed by a charity night at VIP HQ in Birkdale Village.
Katie, just 39 years old, is married to Steven, with the couple parents to two-year-old Myla.
She is battling a rare form of cancer with her family and friends desperately trying to do all they can to raise money to provide vital treatment for her.
Scores of people joined in the recent fundraiser, starting from Ainsdale roundabout and ending up at VIP HQ where they supported a raffle and an auction with some superb prizes.
Katie’s sister-in-law Shelley Wareing said: “The walk raised an amazing just over £7,000.
“Katie and my brother Steven were extremely touched with the great turnout.
“She is continuing her alternative treatments, starting targeted radiotherapy next week and is currently sourcing contacts to try and get a prosthetic nose that she is happy with.
“It was a huge success and a really heartwarming, uplifting evening which I also felt was a quite emotional one too.”
People can donate via her Go Fund Me fundraising page here.
Mum-of-one Katie thought she was just fighting off a cold in the summer of 2021, but as weeks passed, she started to find she couldn’t breathe at all.
She then discovered she had an aggressive tumour, leading to horrific surgery in a bid to help her survive.
But despite surgeons removing Katie’s entire nose, she has been told she does not have long left with her young family, including little girl Myla, at the age of just 39.
Early this year the family discovered that the cancer had travelled to Katie’s lung and was now at stage four, removing her lung would ruin her quality of life, according to doctors.
Now, the family is pursuing alternative treatments in a desperate attempt to give Katie as long a life expectancy as possible – but these can come at a cost in excess of £1,000 a week.
The family is frantically raising money as Katie is “desperate to see 40” and be around as long as possible for the couple’s daughter.
Katie is having intensive radiotherapy and immunotherapy while awaiting a prosthetic nose.
The latest fundraiser saw the Ainsdale to Birkdale walkers enjoy a night which included a specially designed cocktail for Katie; karaoke and disco; and a buffet.
There was a raffle and auction which included amazing prizes such as Flannels vouchers, and a shirt signed by Liverpool FC legend Steven Gerrard.
Her friend Paul Reynolds, who is taking part in a 12k run in Ibiza to raise money for her this April, said: “Katie, Steve and baby Myla are some of our closest friends and the most beautiful family.
“Katie is somebody who everyone needs in their life as she brings so much happiness into the room and to everyone she’s around, she has the most fantastic energy and strength and if the world had more Katies in it we would have a much happier place to live in, so to see her going through all this is beyond devastating for all of us!
“So please if you can help me out to raise money for our incredible friends’ treatment!”
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