HUNDREDS of children who wanted to bring joy to others this festive season got arty for our great Christmas Wrapping For Kids competition – and today we reveal the winners.
Quinn Jenkinson, Daisy Tullett and Cassius Greenhalgh have had their amazing festive pictures turned into limited edition wrapping paper, which is going on sale this week in The Works stores nationwide.
Every penny of the proceeds will go towards presents for young cancer sufferers staying in hospital this Christmas and will help fund childhood cancer specialists via our charity partner The Azaylia Foundation.
An average of 1,800 young people are diagnosed with cancer every year in the UK — and they spend weeks, months or even years on wards.
That is why we want YOU to buy this wonderful wrapping paper so we can deliver presents to sick kids throughout the country.
They are children just like our winners — including eight-year-old Daisy, who in March was diagnosed with a blood cancer, acute lymphoblastic leukaemia, after ten days of high temperatures.
She drew her picture of Santa’s sleigh and Rudolph while receiving chemotherapy treatment in Birmingham Children’s Hospital.
Her mum Holly, 31, who gave up work as an administrator to care for her daughter, said: “Daisy was absolutely over the moon to win.
“When I heard, I was just so proud of her. She is a very kind-hearted little girl.
“She never complains, even when she is in hospital. And she always puts others first so it makes me really proud that she is helping other kids, even while she is poorly herself.
“Daisy is very creative and loves art. She made a robot out of boxes and kitchen foil at the hospital, so when the play team saw The Sun on Sunday’s competition they thought of Daisy.”
The youngster, who lives in Ross-on-Wye, Herefordshire with Holly, dad Richard, 33, who works for a renewable energy firm, and brothers Jacob, ten, and Rory, six, may sadly be in hospital herself this Christmas.
Holly said: “She is having chemo at home at the mo- ment but she may be back in there for Christmas.
We hope not, because it is an especially difficult time for children to be there.
“I know that any family with a child in hospital this Christmas would appreciate a gift from Santa. And that support makes a world of difference.
“I hope that loads of the wrapping paper is sold, that loads of presents can be bought for children in hospital this Christmas and the funding goes towards research.
“It is a brilliant campaign and I am so proud that my little girl is part of it.”
The art competition entries were judged by a panel led by former Coventry City footballer Ashley Cain and Safiyya Vorajee, who lost their daughter Azaylia to childhood cancer at eight months old and set up the charity which The Sun on Sunday has joined forces with in her memory.
Quinn, from Colchester, Essex, won in the 11- to 16-year-old age category. She was inspired to enter after her younger brother Xavier, now seven, spent time as a toddler on a high-dependency unit suffering from the lung condition bronchiolitis.
‘So excited’
Quinn, 12, whose design features four reindeer heads, said: “It is really exciting to win the competition for my age group and to know that my picture will be made into wrapping paper and sold.
“But the best part about this is that the money raised helps to support poorly children at Christmas.
“I love art and am always drawing or painting. I hope as many people as possible buy the wrapping paper to raise funds to give some children a bit of well- deserved happiness. I remember what it was like for my brother being in hospital.
“It must be so horrible for children who are there at Christmas, but I know they are looked after really well by the nurses and doctors.”
Cassius, five, from Leigh, Greater Manchester, is our youngest winner, with his drawing of a gingerbread man, Father Christmas and a snowman.
Cassius, who is hoping for a guitar from Santa, has always loved drawing and has been inspired by his mum Kanisha Holvey, an art teacher, and dad Shaun Greenhalgh, who is a tattooist.
Kanisha, 29, said: “Cassius loves having a doodle. He was so excited when he found out he’d won.
“He is such a caring little boy who loves helping people, so knowing it is helping other kids at Christmas makes it even better.”
Now it is time for readers to support the campaign and buy the special wrapping paper at The Works stores nationwide, or online at theworks.co.uk.
Ashley and Safiyya know what it is like having a sick child in hospital.
Their little girl Azaylia was just two months old in October 2020 when she was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukaemia, an aggressive form of the disease.
Tragically she passed away six months later, and her parents set up The Azaylia Foundation in her memory.
Now the proceeds from our campaign will go towards funding for new childhood cancer specialists via the Foundation.
Last night Safiyya said: “This Christmas we would love to see everyone’s presents wrapped with paper designed by children.
“Through this simple action, we will bring joy to children spending Christmas in hospitals, while at the same time helping to fund the next generation of childhood cancer specialists and their crucial research into this terrible disease.”