A Liverpool college student has proved a friendship like no other by raising over £5,000 for a friend who has cancer.
Sophie Chadwick, 18, who attends King David’s Sixth Form College, Childwall, started raising money three years ago when her friend Ben Young, also 18, was diagnosed with leukaemia.
Since then, Sophie has organised numerous charity events all in aid of her friend.
Sophie said: “When Ben was diagnosed it was a terrible time for us as a group of close friends.
“Even though Ben was receiving chemotherapy, we all saw how ill he really was and seeing him like that made me think, ‘What can I do to cheer him up?’.”
“I know that if it was anyone else, Ben would have done anything to cheer us up so that’s why he deserved for all of his friends to help him through the hard time.”
Instead of donating the money to cancer charities, Sophie decided that any money raised would be spent on whatever Ben wanted to do. Some of the money was put towards a family holiday last year when Ben and his parents visited New York.
Ben’s mum Sarah Young said: “What Ben’s friends have done for him can never be forgotten.
“We will always have a special place in our hearts for Sophie and the others. It really is remarkable what they have done.”
Sophie said: “I didn’t want to make the fundraising anything too ‘typical’ so I found new fun ways to make the money.
“We’ve dressed as hippies, done sponsored silences and most recently we did a three-day trek in Wales which included me and my other friends camping for two nights in the cold and wet.”
Ben is in his final stage of chemotherapy after suffering a relapse last summer.
However, thanks to all the fundraising his friends have done, he has managed to get through his illness and is still smiling.
Sophie is now looking at other ways she can help other children around Liverpool, and focus her time on people less fortunate than herself.
She said: “I already volunteer at Alder Hey once a week.
“I think I’ve got motivation in me now after seeing how happy Ben was, and I just want to keep spreading the happiness.”