Pixie Lott and other celebrity guests surprise children with messages of support in virtual Star Award ceremony.
Star Award winner Mikail with his family.
Children who’ve been treated for cancer across the UK have been celebrated in a virtual award show to recognise their outstanding courage.
The Cancer Research UK for Children & Young People Star Awards invited the children onto a virtual red carpet for the show, with special guest appearances from singer-songwriter Pixie Lott, TV personalities Dr Ranj and Joe Tasker, and TikTok stars Flossie Clegg, Lewys Ball and Olivia Neill, attending to congratulate the award winners.
The Star Awards are run in partnership with TK Maxx, with nominations open all year round.
A host of stars
Mikail, aged 9, from Essex, is one of the young people who features in the special Star Awards film.
Mikail was diagnosed with advanced Hodgkin lymphoma in October 2020 after developing a lump on his neck. After diagnosis, Mikail went through 6 months of chemotherapy that led to some serious side effects, which prevented him being able to walk properly.
His mum, Arzu, says: “Mikail has been so brave and strong. He has not once cried or complained about his cancer. He is a very positive little boy. We are very proud of him. His friends have been great and he showed them his Star Award too.”
Darcy, aged 5, from Suffolk, was another excited Star Award winner.
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Darcy, who was diagnosed with Wilms tumour in April 2020, was another excited star awards winner.
Darcy was diagnosed with Wilms tumour in April 2020, after her parents noticed she was lethargic, had lost her appetite and was complaining of pains in her legs.
Over the last year she has undergone 4 surgeries, 4 weeks in ICU, 36 weeks of chemotherapy and 10 rounds of radiotherapy. Due to the pandemic, Darcy’s parents had to take it in turns to visit her. And at one point, were even unable to wait inside the hospital whilst she underwent emergency surgery.
Darcy’s mum, Emily, says: “Nothing will ever be back to how it was, and we know that there are longer-term effects too and increased risk of further cancers. We are so passionate about the need for treatments that don’t have these long-term effects – we are keen to raise awareness to help more research so that improvements can be made.”
Cancer Research UK Star Awards
The awards are run in partnership with TK Maxx, who have raised £44 million for Cancer Research UK in the last 16 years.
Every year, around 4,200 children and young people aged 0 to 24 are diagnosed with cancer in the UK. That’s around 350 cases every month and 81 cases per week.
Thanks to research, 8 in 10 children and young people diagnosed with cancer in the UK now survive their disease for at least 10 years.
Dr Sheona Scales, children’s cancer lead at Cancer Research UK, said: “A cancer diagnosis as a child or young person, and the treatment that follows, has an enormous impact on both the children and their families.
“The Cancer Research UK for Children & Young People Star Awards recognise the incredible bravery and determination children show as they undergo treatment.”
Nominations for the Star Awards are now open. The awards are open to all children under the age of 18 who live in the UK and have been treated for cancer in the last 5 years.
Every eligible child will receive a trophy, £50 TK Maxx gift card, t-shirt and a certificate signed by celebrities supporting the campaign. Their siblings also receive a certificate.
