Katie appeal reaches £55,000
A brave volunteer gets his leg waxed in aid of the Katie appeal
The Keep Baby Katie Awake has raised a staggering £55,000 in just five weeks, it emerged last night.
By Connla Young
Across County Derry and further afield tens of thousands of pounds are being raised each week as big hearted volunteers dig deep to raise vital cash for Katie’s treatment at Memorial Children’s Hospital in Chicago.
The Keep Katie Awake campaign is being backed by the County Derry Post which will be highlighting fundraising events in the coming weeks.
The nine-month-old suffers from a rare form of epilepsy and is so sick she can’t smile, swallow or see.
With dozens more events organised for the coming week Katie’s dad Gary says he is overwhelmed by public support.
“I really am amazed by the public response,” he said.
“So many people from all over the country have volunteered their time and energy to help Katie. I really can’t find the words to thank them. But we really appreciate their generosity and hope they will continue to help us.”
Last weekend alone almost £20,000 was raised through a series events from Cookstown to Dungiven.
Dungiven based fundraiser Brenda Doherty, who has helped raise £4,500 in recent weeks, said the public response to the campaign has been impressive.
“People have been very generous and their efforts have been fantastic,” she said.
