This is Noreen, she's 15 years old and she's one of the 8 children we support in Uganda. She loves dancing, reading (especially Harry Potter) and school - her favourite subject is chemistry. Until Saturday she was a normal Ugandan teenager, on Saturday everything changed.

Noreen had been feeling unwell since Thursday, the school nurse had dismissed her symptoms and told her she was fine. She knew she wasn't. On Saturday she managed to get hold of Alexa who runs our project, Alexa in turn got hold of me and I told her to take her straight to hospital. She had a, swollen belly and she felt sick. After a number of tests and an ultrasound it was confirmed that she had tumours growing in both ovaries.

The last four days have been a blur, multiple tests and a ct scan have confirmed our worst fears and we are now in the process of scheduling the operation to remove the tumours. Due to the location of the tumours both ovaries will have to be removed meaning that she can no longer have children a devastating blow to Noreen.

We are absolutely heartbroken for Noreen, words cannot express how hard this is for her and we'd do anything to take it all away. The harsh truth is we can't but what we can do is make sure she gets the treatment that she needs. She has an incredible doctor in Uganda whom I have spoken to and we have a strong support system in place for her on the ground in both Alexa and our volunteer Emily. As well as this we have support from a UK doctor who is helping me decode and navigate my way through the medical jargon that is being thrown my way (I now know what Histopathology is!!)

The road ahead is long, first the operation, then the biopsies and tests to see if it has spread and then the long road to recovery most likely involving chemotherapy then eventually HRT to hold off the menopause for as long as we can. Unlike the UK all medical treatment in Uganda has to be paid for. That's where we need your help, the road ahead for Noreen is going to be incredibly difficult but one thing I've reassured her of these last few days is not to worry about the money that we will find it from somewhere. That all she needs to focus on is that she will be OK and that we are all with her 100% of the way on this journey. I have cleared us sharing her story to raise the funds. As always with craft aid UK we are 100% non profit and all of these funds will go to looking after Noreen and getting her better. Please spare anything you can and share this to help us reach our target.

Much love

Lara and David xx