Using her head for charity

North Leamington sixth form student Rachel Edwards performing a headstand as part of her charity challenge for the Teenage Cancer Trust.

Rachel Edwards, of North Leamington School, will do a head stand every day for the next 12 months - having her photograph taken at a different location each time - to support the Teenage Cancer Trust.

The agile year 13 student has been posting the photos of her head stands on her online Justgiving page and has explained her reasons for thinking up the unusual fundraising challenge.

Rachel said: “I am fortunate enough to say that I have not been affected by the grief that cancer can bring to a family or an individual.

“The charity was brought to my attention a month or so ago now when I was at work and since then I have read all about the charity and stories from the teenagers who have sadly been diagnosed with such a condition.

“To think that children my age are unable to participate in what we describe as normal ‘everyday’ activities makes me come to terms with how much every teenager takes for granted.

“At this point in many teenagers lives they have the most worrying and nerve-wracking situation of not getting the grades to get to the university that they have been longing to attend. Cancer diagnosed teenagers are not only unable to be in that situation but they want nothing more than to be able to have that feeling of nerves for a reason other than whether they will have deteriorated tomorrow.”

Around six young people aged between 13 and 24 are diagnosed with cancer every day in the UK.

The Teenage Cancer Trust is the only charity in the UK which is specifically dedicated to providing support for teenagers and young people who have been diagnosed with the disease.

For more about Rachel’s challenge http://.just giving.com/Rachel-Edwards8|click here}