Girl with cancer sets 8,000 birthday card target

2 hours ago

Ed James,BBC Radio WMand

Eleanor Lawson,West Midlands

News image — Amelia Kolpa, who is receiving palliative care, wants to break the UK record for most birthday cards received

Family A young girl with short brown hair and a medical tube taped across her face and into her nose smiles at the camera while doing two peace symbols with her fingers. — Amelia Kolpa, who is receiving palliative care, wants to break the UK record for most birthday cards received

A seven-year-old girl receiving palliative care for cancer is hoping to break a UK record on her birthday.

Amelia Kolpa, from Rowley Regis in the Black Country, has neuroblastoma and has been in and out of hospital since the age of two and a half.

To mark her eighth birthday on 3 March, Amelia is hoping to break the record for the most birthday cards received in the UK, by hitting the 8,000 cards mark.

Now, her family have issued an appeal to help make Amelia's wish come true.

Charmaine Grace, one of Amelia's family members, said: "All I'm asking is for you all to send a birthday card - even if it's from animals, it all counts.

"It's a dream. She knows that we've got such an amazing community behind her but for her story to come out and everyone to show the love to her, it means the world."

She added the flurry of cards would "give her hope".

Amelia initially set herself a target of 5,000 cards, before telling her family: "I can get 8,000."

Family A young girl with short brown hair and a medical tube taped to her face sits in a wheelchair and smiles in a Build a Bear shop. A large Build a Bear teddy is stood up behind her. — Along with going on a visit to Build a Bear, one for each family member, Amelia's bucket list includes enjoying a birthday party

Speaking about Amelia, Grace said: "Amelia is the most amazing little girl. She's always smiling, she's one of those cheeky little girls who's always happy and bright.

"She is such a fighter, she's gone through so much. Even all the treatments and trials she's gone through, she's still smiling. She just brings light to anyone."

Grace said Amelia was number 60 on the list for a clinical trial, but was currently receiving palliative care.

"But she's asked for wishes and we are granting them," she added.

Other items on her bucket list include making "Build a Bears" for her family members with a voice message from herself inside them, which she has already completed, and also having a birthday party.

Family A young girl with short brown hair and a medical tube taped to her face grins at the camera. She lies down with a small dog cuddled into her arm. — Charmaine Grace said Amelia was always smiling, despite the illness and various treatments

Anyone who wants to write a card for Amelia is asked to drop it off at one of the following locations:

Highfield Primary School, Beeches Road, Rowley Regis, B65 0DA
Leasowes High School, Kent Road, Halesowen, B62 8PJ
Artisan Espresso Bar Ltd, 168 Halesowen Street, Blackheath, Rowley Regis, B65 0ES
Fairfield Inn, Fairfield Road, Hurst Green, Halesowen, B62 9JA

Telling the BBC what it would mean for Amelia to receive cards from strangers, Grace said: "From one school, we've already received 397 and the smile on her face was amazing, it just lit up the whole room.

"For her to get this would be absolutely incredible."

Follow BBC Birmingham on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram.