Student raises £300 for cancer charity

A GCU student has combined inspiration from a presentation and TV programme to help raise £300 for charity through making face masks.

Fourth year Radiotherapy and Oncology student Aoife Macrae wanted to support LoveOliver after the founder of the charity gave a presentation to students on the background of the charity last year.

LoveOliver was set up by Andy and Jennifer Gill after their son passed away at just 24 weeks old to a Malignant Rhabdoid Tumour back in 2010.

The Student Newsroom previously reported on Radiotherapy and Oncology students raising awareness of the charity through a lockdown video – however Aoife, who lives on the Isle of Lewis, went one step further.

She explained: “Jennifer talked to our class and basically told us what the charity did and I wanted to do something to help.

Being from an island I know how important it is for people to still receive treatment while away from home for things like cancer, so the fact that she does that for children’s families really resonated with me and inspired me.”

Aoife also added that she didn’t expect to raise so much money.

She said: “I’m not really a crafty person but I watched the Great British Sewing Bee and thought I could take on the world after one episode!

At first I was just making them for my pals and then I decided to start selling them for five pounds. I advertised it on Instagram and I was surprised that the response was so good.”

Aoife added: “Doing this made me stop harassing people with Tik-Tok videos, so I just thought I’d do something good for a change - the masks aren’t anything fancy but they do the job!”

By Ross Clark
Got an SHLS or GSBS story? Email Ross.Clark@gcu.ac.uk or connect with me on Twitter