Fundraiser launched for 11-year-old Peterborough United footballer who lost her leg due to rare bone cancer
Millie (11) has already set her sights on playing for England’s amputee team and reaching the Paralympics.
A fundraiser has been started to support an 11-year-old who has lost her leg due to a rare bone cancer.
On the day of her 11th birthday, Millie Blair was diagnosed with Osteosarcoma, a bone cancer which only affects around 30 children a year in the UK.
Millie had initially taken a knock during a football match and doctors had initially misdiagnosed her tumour as a broken leg.
After receiving the diagnosis, doctors put Millie through chemotherapy and attempted to remove the affected bone without having to amputate but unfortunately, the tumour continued to grow and they were left no choice but to make the decision to take Millie’s left leg above the knee.
At the time, in January, Millie the captain on her age group for Oundle Town Girls, she has also joined the Eye Jaguars boys team and she had earned a place in Peterborough United’s Emerging Talent Centre.
Millie was also an accomplished showjumper and had dreams of playing for the Chelsea and the England Lionesses.
Despite all that has happened, Millie is determined to still accomplish her sporting dreams and has already set her sights on playing for England’s amputee team and competing in the Paralympics.
Her father Gordon said: “The change from where she was to where she is now has been massive but she is really positive and is getting on with it. It’s a tough journey but we will get there.
“She is now thinking about playing amputee football and already one of the players for the England amputee team, Annabel Kiki, has reached out and came to see Millie in the hospital, which has been really inspirational for her.
“She’s saying she wants to try all sports now and that she wants to reach the Paralympics and that’s what we will help her to do.”
The way Millie’s family are helping to continue to fulfil her sporting dreams is by setting up a fundraiser to get her a new top of the range prosthetic leg.
To get Millie a new leg that will grow with her, adaptive sports equipment and specialist rehabilitation to help her regain strength and mobility, a GoFundMe has been started with a target of £130,000 set.
The best prosthetic leg for Millie at the moment to grow into would be the Genium X4 microprocessor knee, which comes with a price of £134,000.
Already the fundraising page has reached over £60,000.
Mille’s father added: “It is really humbling and it is so nice that so many people have helped out. We started the fund because, as her dad, I just have to get the best for her. We are so grateful for it.
"It’s so complex getting her a new leg but we want to get her some normality back and get there the best leg possible and we will probably have to look into getting her a blade as well to continue playing sports.
“Every single penny raised will go directly to Millie’s mobility, prosthetic leg and rehabilitation. If we are fortunate enough to raise additional money this will solely go for Millie so that she has a leg for life.
“This is not about luxury or extras. This is about giving an incredible young girl the chance to live life to the fullest again.”
As well as being visited by Annabel Kiki, who gave Millie her first ever England medal and told her to return to it her as her first England amputee camp, Posh’s first team have also taken time to visit Millie.
When Ricky-Jade Jones scored on Wednesday night in the semi-finals of the Vertu Trophy, he dedicated a special celebration to Millie.