Young Derry woman's legacy helps young cancer victims

A club which has been supporting charities for over 70 years has raised funds in memory of a young Derry woman who died last year.

Leona Reid, from Drumahoe, passed away on April 15 after losing her battle with non-Hodgkin lymphoma, aged just 22.

The former Foyle and Londonderry College pupil was diagnosed in summer 2015, just before she was due to start her final year of a degree in law and Spanish at the University of Dundee.

Throughout her illness, Leona kept a blog, where she wrote about her day to day life.

After her death, tributes poured in for Leona on social media from those who had been inspired by her.

The Soroptimist Club, which was set up in Derry in 1944 to support charities, local, national and international has now raised funds in her memory through a novel event organised by its president, Mary McLaughlin.

A grid was drawn across a field on her husband’s farm in Donegal and cow pat punters laid their bets on a paper grid as to where the cows would go.

The money was then presented to Leona's mother Janice.

They money will go towards The Little Princess Trust, which makes wigs and hair pieces for children who suffer hair loss due to cancer treatment.

A spokesperson for the Soroptimist Club paid tribute to the courage shown by Leona throughout her illness and the work carried out by The Little Princess Trust.

“These wigs, which are made for those who have lost their hair for whatever reason, play such a vital role in restoring self-confidence,” the spokesperson said.

“The young and courageous Leona Reid made the Little Princess trust the chosen charity so that children and young people may benefit from really realistic and attractive hair styles.”

The club was chartered on March 24, 1944 has always worked to support charities, local, national and international, from helping to establish Edenballymore Lodge, a local nursing home, to supporting international Soroptimist projects such as Pure Water for Senegal or Sight Savers in Bangladesh.

The club meets on the first Monday of the month in the White Horse Hotel, Campsie, at 7.30pm.