A pre-loved wedding sale is set to take place on Sunday 29 September at the Best Western Garstang Golf Club and Hotel.

There are 28 stalls with beautiful wedding dresses to sell all in honour of seven-year-old Phoebe Roskell.

Advertisements

Phoebe was diagnosed with the incurable disease, Dyskeratosis Congenita in August 2017. The disease only affects one in a million people.

The disease has caused her bone marrow failure, dental and oral problems, finger and toenail dystrophy. Phoebe also suffers with achy joints and muscles and frequently struggles with headaches, fatigue and exhaustion.

The biggest concerns however are lung and liver failure. Dyskeratosis Congenita causes a gene mutation which means her life expectancy is predicted to be short. As the disease is so rare it is still under researched and underfunded so impossible for any physician to predict.

In December 2017 Phoebe had a bone marrow transplant. Her older brother and only sibling Woody, was a perfect match. He happily donated his stem cells and essentially saved his sister’s life.

Despite intense chemotherapy and spending nine weeks in hospital isolation, Phoebe is still a positive child.

Her mother Jacquie said: “Her strength and resilience astounded us all and I started using the term #bemorepheebs. When Phoebe is full of energy, she is like a pocket rocket! She has a zest for life and never lets her problems defeat her. She complains when she is in pain, but she never complains about why this has happened to her. She embraces life when she is well, and we snuggle up when she isn’t.

“Phoebe made a remarkable recovery from her transplant. But often people think that she is cured. If only this was the case. Her bone marrow failure was cured but not the DC.”

As news spread in their local community of Catterall and Garstang, the family were inundated with well-wishers. People also wanted to help so fundraisers were held for the hospital departments where Phoebe was treated and £2,500 was raised.

Read more: Inspiring Penwortham girl is raising awareness for the condition that has changed her life 

Jacquie started a Facebook page called Phoebe’s Page and as she researched the disease further, she discovered the international charity Team Telomere.

She said: “I always say Team Telomere saved us. We were in the depths of despair facing every parent’s nightmare not knowing which way to turn. Team Telomere gave us hope and someone to turn to.

“We found a whole new worldwide community that no one ever wants to be a part of but we are thankful we are. We were put in touch with doctors in America and made contact with families in this country and all over the world. Their guidance ensured I was able to ask the right questions and ensure Phoebe was receiving the right treatment.

“The realisation that Team Telomere was a small charity soon became apparent and that fundraising was needed. So, I set up a JustGiving page and people donated. Different fundraisers were held in Phoebe’s honour. Cake sales, a 200-mile bike ride in one day called Ride for Pheebs, Phoebe’s school had a non-uniform wear rainbow colours day, plus so much more.

“So far we have raised £28,000 for Team Telomere. The charity relies on patients and their communities to raise money. Our aim is to find a cure for the disease and the charity instils us with hope that this can be done.”

Jacquie also volunteers as a UK ambassador for the charity.

Find out more about the pre-loved wedding sale via the Facebook event and follow updates on Phoebe via Phoebe’s Page.

Read more: Local charity news

Read more: See what’s on in Preston