Young girl helping others with IBD
389. Jenny Cook
A young girl from East Kilbride who is working to raise £100,000 for fellow sufferers of Inflammatory Bowel Disease.
Jenny Cook, aged 12, has suffered from ulcerative colitis since she was five years old. After her diagnosis, and after she had her large bowel removed in 2007, she was inspired to improve the lives of those fellow sufferers she had met while in hospital. Scotland Minister Lord Dunlop presented Jenny with her award ahead of a fundraising ball she has organised in Glasgow.
“Wee Jenny”, as she is affectionately known, has worked tirelessly over the last 7 years to raise £73,000 for Yorkhill Children’s Charity and the Catherine McEwan foundation’s work to support young people with the condition. All of her fundraising has been as creative as it has successful. From persuading East Kilbride Parish Church to light the building purple in May, raising over £700, to inspiring sponsored beard shaving (coming up), Jenny has been able to raise huge sums of money for IBD sufferers. During IBD month, she was able to raise £6,000 on the back of a series of fundraisers. She also persuaded local Indian restaurant “Turban Tandoori” to let her waitress for them for the evening, allowing her to keep all the tips and add it to her fund.
Prime Minister David Cameron said:
“Jenny’s force of character and resilience in the face of her condition have not only raised huge sums of money, but also inspired those around her. She has encouraged people from across her community to come together and support her through fundraising and social action. I am delighted to be recognising her service by making her the UK’s 389th Points of Light.”
Scotland Office Minister Lord Dunlop said:
“It was a pleasure and a privilege to present Jenny with her thoroughly deserved Points of Light award in her home town of Bishopton today. For someone so young and facing such health challenges to have achieved so much through the huge sums she has raised for charity is simply incredible. Jenny sets an example to us all and long may she continue her fantastic fundraising achievements”.
Jenny said:
“I am honoured to receive a Points of light award from the Prime Minister! I am determined to raise as much money as I can for Yorkhill Children’s Charity and The Catherine McEwan Foundation, to help other children like me who suffer from Inflammatory Bowel Disease.”
Local MP, Dr Cameron, said:
“I am delighted to hear of the Point of Light Award for my young constituent Jenny Cook. I am immensely proud of Jenny and all that she has achieved at such a young age. She has shown great courage in not only overcoming her own health difficulties but has selflessly given her time, energy and enthusiasm to improve the lives of others. Jenny is a credit to East Kilbride and a true fundraising superstar.“