A FOUR-year-old who has started school less than a year after being diagnosed with leukaemia wants to raise awareness of a fellow patient's loom campaign.

Sophie Richardson from Ballinger was diagnosed last October and after being through intense treatment she is now into the maintenance phase.

She has just started school at Lee Common C of E and her parents, Vicky and Brian, and brothers, Joe and Tom, are so pleased to see her in her school uniform.

Vicky, said: "We are so relieved that she has been able to start with all the other four and five-year-olds. We are so grateful that she is well enough."

Sadly, one of her friends, Skye Hall, who she met in John Radcliffe Hospital during her treatment passed away on August 29.

Skye was diagnosed with a brain tumour last year and during his treatment he undertook a challenge called Loom to the Moon.

The Abingdon resident wanted to create the world's longest loom band in a bid to raise money for brain tumour research.

He and his parents also set up a charity called Blue Skye Thinking to support the research and treatment of childhood brain tumours.

The campaign is ongoing in his name and people from all over the world are being asked to make and send loom bands. It has so far reached 9.5km.

Vicky said: "They really would love more looms to be sent to them and as so many kids are into looming I'm sure their parents would love to send them on to Skye's family in Abingdon."

The Facebook page Loom to the Moon (www.facebook.com/loomtothemoon) has had almost 14,000 likes and the Just Giving page has raised almost £4,000 (www.justgiving.com/skye-hall).

September is Childhood Cancer Awareness Month and CLIC Sargent is using this month to raise awareness of the impact of childhood cancer and of their work supporting young cancer patients and their families.

Every day at least ten families in the UK are told the devastating news that their child has cancer.

To find out more go to www.clicsargent.org.uk.