My name is Lucy and I turned 13 in July. I enjoy playing Gaelic football for my local team Tir na nOg in Randalstown and love going to Donegal where we have a mobile near Marblehill beach. I especially like pier jumping and walks on the beach as well as pizza from the Rusty Oven in Dunfanaghy.

I found out I had a brain tumour last September after going for my yearly eye test. The optician saw something and I had to go to the Royal to get it checked out. I had an MRI scan where they found the tumour. I had to have two surgeries before starting my radiotherapy and chemotherapy treatment. The treatment has been really tough and meant I couldn’t go to school or see my friends. But nearly a year later I’m almost at the end and I can’t wait to be able to all the normal things I used to do.

I enjoyed meeting Rory, but I think my Daddy enjoyed it more as he loves most sports including Rugby and is always very loud when cheering on Ulster and Ireland on the TV. Rory and his wife were very friendly.

I think it is an amazing thing that Rory is doing. My uncle and his friend did a big walk from Austria to Armagh a few years ago to raise money for the Alzheimer’s Society, so I know how hard these things can be. I hope he doesn’t get blisters the way my uncle did.

We recently spent a weekend in Daisy Lodge and it was so nice and relaxing. It would be great if there was another place like this in Mayo so more people can enjoy it too. All the money raised by the walk will help make that happen.”

Rory’s campaign will support more children and young people like Lucy who have had to live with the impact of a cancer diagnosis. He will shine a light on the experiences of children and young people like Lucy by ‘walking a mile in their shoes’ or in this case, walking an epic 180 miles from Cancer Fund for Children therapeutic short break centre, Daisy Lodge in Newcastle Co. Down to the site of a proposed new Daisy Lodge in Co. Mayo.

You can answer Rory’s call by taking on your own challenge or donating to Cancer Fund for Children. For more information on how you can get involved, click here.