Ellesmere lights up pink in memory of teen who died suddenly from undiagnosed brain tumour

Ellesmere mother Sophie Penrose set up Ella’s Army, a fundraising group under the umbrella of Brain Tumour Research after she tragically lost her 13-year-old daughter, Ella McCreadie.

The teen was described by her family as a fun-loving, active and healthy girl before she died without warning on December 9 of 2022, after a haemorrhage caused by an undiagnosed high-grade diffuse glioma brain tumour.

Realising how desperately underfunded research into finding more effective treatments and ultimately a cure for brain tumours is, Sophie set up Ella’s Army in her memory.

Already during March, which is Brain Tumour Awareness Month, countless homes and businesses across Ellesmere have joined the Light Up The UK campaign, by putting up pink lights in their windows and on trees.

Sophie, who runs a children’s party event business, said: “I’ve been completely blown away by the response to my Facebook call to join in with #LightUpTheUK in the charity’s signature colours of pink and/or yellow – although everyone has opted to go pink for Ella!

“I know that St Mary’s Church, where we held Ella’s funeral service, will be lit up on the evening of March 24 thanks to support from ASG Audio Visual, as well as the Red Lion public house, where I’ve been informed all the staff will also be wearing pink.

“So many people have got involved already and are lighting up throughout Brain Tumour Awareness Month that Ella’s dad Alastair and I have taken to going out for a drive every few nights with Ella’s younger brothers Shay, eight, and Niall, 12, to look at the lights, which are even on the homes of complete strangers. The boys think it’s very exciting and it’s really heart-warming for us all.

“I’m very much focused on keeping Ella’s memory alive so it’s really bittersweet. I wish the circumstances were different, but it’s comforting to know that we have such strength of support across our lovely local community.”

Both schools that Ella attended, and which are now attended by her siblings, Ellesmere Primary and Lakeland’s Academy, have signed up to Brain Tumour Research’s flagship fundraiser Wear A Hat Day which is held each year at the end of Brain Tumour Awareness Month.

The event, which asks people to don their favourite hats, hold hat-themed events and make donations to help find a cure for brain tumours, has raised more than £2 million since being launched in 2010 and will take place this year on Thursday, March 28 – although the Ellesmere schools will be holding their Wear A Hat Day events on March 19, the last day of term.

Also signed up to Wear A Hat Day is Ellesmere’s Coco Coffee Bar, owned by Ella’s grandmother Julie Reeves, as well as Pauline at J S Hair, who plans also to colour her hair pink for Ella.

Meanwhile, family friend Mel Jones who works at HSBC in Oswestry will be holding a Wear A Hat Day event with colleagues, as will other local branches of HSBC, all inspired by Ella’s Army.

Sophie added: “I am so grateful and humbled to have this incredible support for Light Up The UK and for Wear A Hat Day and I’d like to encourage others to join in. Anyone can take part, be it with friends or family, at home, work or in school. For those who are unable to host a hat-themed event, we just ask that they put on a hat, share a photo on social media using the hashtag #WearAHatDay and make a donation to help find a cure for brain tumours.”

Louise Aubrey, community development manager for Brain Tumour Research, said: “We’re really grateful to Sophie for setting up Ella’s Army in her daughter’s memory and for supporting the charity through Light Up The UK and Wear A Hat Day.

“Brain tumours kill more children and adults under the age of 40 than any other cancer, yet just 1 per cent of the national spend on cancer research has been allocated to this devastating disease since records began in 2002. This has to change.”

To donate to Ella’s Army go to justgiving.com/campaign/ellasarmy.

For more information on Wear A Hat Day, or to register to take part, visit wearahatday.org.