A YOUNGSTER who is one of a handful of children her age battling juvenile arthritis won her family a holiday on Ant and Dec’s Saturday Night Takeaway.
Hollie Kyle was invited on the ITV show last weekend after the success of her Christmas gift appeal in support of the Sheffield-based Children’s Hospital Charity.
The 11-year-old, of Nettlecroft, Monk Bretton, has received care there since she was eight-and-a-half years old when she was diagnosed with the rare condition.
Hollie’s community rallied around the campaign and by the time she was ready to donate the presents her home looked like a toy store.
Thanks to the support of friends, family, Hollie’s school and local businesses, she donated over 300 presents to youngsters who spent their Christmas in hospital.
To help encourage donations, Hollie’s mum, Laura, posted about the appeal on social media.
Then, a few months after the appeal had finished, Laura received a message from the team at Ant and Dec’s Saturday Night Takeaway.
During the show’s ‘happiest minute’ - where they give back to people who have done something of note - Ant and Dec marked their 20th anniversary by giving every member of the audience a ‘takeaway getaway’.
Courtesy of holiday firm Tui, Hollie and her family won a seven-night, all-inclusive holiday or cruise of their choice.
Gawber couple David and Laura Howe also won the same prize having embarked on a £100,000 fundraising campaign in memory of their son Oliver, who died from cancer at the age of eight.
Hollie’s mum, Laura Kyle, said: “We couldn’t believe it - When we started the appeal we just thought it was our little way of giving something back for the amazing treatment Hollie has had.
“We feel really lucky that Hollie’s condition is manageable and she’s okay so we wanted to do something nice for the children who would be staying over Christmas.
“We didn’t do this to get anything back, so we were so surprised to receive the invitation to go on the programme.
“The service and treatment we have received at Sheffield has been amazing.
“We have spent so much time there over the last couple of years we felt we wanted to give something back.
“We’re so proud of Hollie and this holiday is such a special way to celebrate everything she’s done.
“We will definitely be running our appeal again this year and we are so grateful to the hospital for everything they have done for us.”
Arthritis - often associated with older people - can also affect children in rare occurrences.
Most types of childhood arthritis are known as juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA).
JIA causes pain and inflammation in one or more joints for at least six weeks.
Although there is no cure, some children with arthritis achieve permanent remission, which means the disease is no longer active, but any physical damage to the joint will remain.
Jane Darby, from the hospital charity, added: “The support of incredible people like Hollie helps to make Christmas feel a little bit more normal for children staying with the hospital during the festive season.
“Hollie is amazing and we’re so grateful for her support.”
