Funeral of cancer-stricken child Olivia Downie to be held this week

The funeral of a Scots child whose battle against cancer led to more than £150,000 in donations being pledged to bring her home from Mexico will be held this week.

Seven-year-old Olivia Downie, from Fraserburgh, who suffered from Neuroblastoma, an aggressive childhood cancer that attacks the nervous system and can affect the lungs, skin and brain, passed away at Aberdeen Royal Infirmary on Friday morning.

She had travelled with her family to Mexico for “last ditch” treatment, but when the treatment failed her parents, Lauren and Steven, found themselves stranded on the other side of the Atlantic.

An appeal was made to help fly Olivia home and more than £150,000 was donated by the public to Families Against Neuroblastoma (FAN), who organised the trip home.

But less than 48 hours after returning home, Olivia died with her family by her side.

They said: “We are so thankful that, thanks to the generosity of so many people, we have been able to take her home to Scotland so she could have her family by her side. Words cannot express how grateful we are that this final journey was made possible.

“We were blessed to have had Olivia in our lives and her cheeky smile that shone like a star will be with us forever.”

Olivia will be buried at Kirkton Cemetery in Fraserburgh on Thursday following a service at the town’s Old Parish Church at 11am.

Her parents have asked mourners to wear something purple to her funeral and to give donations, in lieu of flowers, to Logan’s Fund.

The charity, which was set up by a Moray couple whose son Logan lost his battle to Neuroblastoma in 2009, helps other families affected by the disease.

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