Mum of Overton teen Reece Holt's plea to 'go gold' for teenage cancer awareness this month

The mum of Overton teenager Reece Holt, who passed away last year after fighting a rare cancer, is hoping the community will come together to paint the town gold again this month.
Rachel O'Neil, second from left, with members of the emergency services and their vehicles, which have been adorned with gold ribbons to mark Teenage Cancer Awareness Month.Rachel O'Neil, second from left, with members of the emergency services and their vehicles, which have been adorned with gold ribbons to mark Teenage Cancer Awareness Month.
Rachel O'Neil, second from left, with members of the emergency services and their vehicles, which have been adorned with gold ribbons to mark Teenage Cancer Awareness Month.

September is Childhood Cancer Awareness Month, and Reece's mum Rachel O'Neil wants everyone to help raise awareness by displaying gold wherever they can.

Throughout the month, gold ribbon car stickers can be spotted adorning emergency vehicles and those of local businesses including SJ Bargh, and the Ashton Memorial will also be lit up gold again, thanks to BCL Lighting.

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"It's just great to get the community and also the emergency services on board," Rachel said. "We want to encourage everyone to 'go gold' and raise awareness, and help us paint the town gold again.

Reece Holt, who passed away in January 2019.Reece Holt, who passed away in January 2019.
Reece Holt, who passed away in January 2019.

"Without being able to hold our annual football match and ball this year, we have lost more than £40,000. For a small charity like us that is having a huge impact, and we are having to look at new ways of fundraising."

One way Team Reece has come up with is the idea of inviting businesses to sell sweets in their offices as part of a partnership betweeen the charity and Heysham firm Freedom Mallows, who have donated all the sweets, which are vegan friendly.

"We are looking for businesses who are willing to take a box to put in their office," Rachel said. "We hope people will keep them on after September, and it will become a regular income for us."

Reece passed away in January 2019 at the age of 13.

One of the Team Reece gold ribbon car stickers.One of the Team Reece gold ribbon car stickers.
One of the Team Reece gold ribbon car stickers.
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The Lancaster Royal Grammar School pupil had been battling Anaplastic Astrocytoma, a malignant tumour that affects only about 10 children a year, since May 2016.

Since then, the teenager’s mum Rachel O’Neil has been continuing her son’s legacy by carrying on the charity work he started when he set up his own charity, Team Reece, to help other children with cancer.

"There are still 300,000 children every year across the world being diagnosed with cancer, and there have been no real breakthroughs since Reece was diagnosed more than four years ago," Rachel said.

Every year in September, childhood cancer champions, advocates and supporters encourage iconic buildings, historic landmarks, monuments, bridges and natural environments to go gold to highlight childhood cancer and the fight faced by families.

Whether lighting up gold or by displaying gold ribbons, the global effort helps to shine a spotlight on the international childhood cancer problem.