FAMILY and friends of the Bradshaw family came together at the weekend for two reasons for a party.
Shannon Bradshaw would have celebrated her 18th birthday on Tuesday and it is 10 years since the charity The Shannon Bradshaw Trust was formed following her death.
The former Sacred Heart Primary School pupil died aged seven after being diagnosed with bone marrow condition aplastic anaemia in 2002.
Parents Patti and Alan Bradshaw, of Reaper Close, Great Sankey, started the charity after helping other families with money that had been raised for them while Shannon was in hospital.
Since then family, friends, celebrity patrons and volunteers have worked tirelessly raising cash to help children with life-threatening conditions and their families.
Patti, said: “When we started helping people, we never thought we would become a charity helping so many children and the charity becoming our life.
“It’s great to be able to help people but there’s so many people that need thanking and without the support of the people of Warrington it would not have been possible.”
It follows a long line of fundraisers which has helped a number of children from the town and paid for a holiday caravan in Blackpool for families with poorly children.
Patti, who marked Shannon’s 18th with a family meal and releasing 18 balloons into the sky, added: “Over the years I think buying a new wheelchair for eight-year-old Lewis Carpentier was the most proud achievement as we did it so quickly.
“We managed to raise £8,500 so he could have it on Christmas eve and it transformed his life.
“People don’t realise it’s the little things that can change a child’s life and can also help the whole family when you can give a child a little bit more independence.”
The charity is now looking forward to helping more people in Great Sankey when they get the keys to the Shannon Bradshaw Trust Community Centre at the new police station with a grand opening expected in March.