Words by Blyth Brentnall
In the next step of their mission to promote charities, Travis and his deaf cat Sigrid met an incredible eight-year-old fundraiser, Heidi.
With the help of her dad David, the little girl has taken on a cycling challenge for charity. Already she has raised over £20,000 for Macmillan Cancer Support and Alzheimer’s UK.
In this latest episode of the Smiley News series, Travis and Sigrid’s Charity Rides, the cat and owner spoke to Heidi about what motivated her to fundraise for charity.
Fantastic! Tell me more.
Travis, Heidi and David chat about charities, Heidi’s cycling skills and the time Heidi got to crack an egg on her dad’s head!
Heidi shares why she chose to fundraise for the two charities. When Heidi’s grandfather passed away due to cancer, Macmillan Cancer Support helped his family work through their grief.
Heidi decided to also fundraise for Alzheimer’s UK after she met an inspiring scientist funded by the charity. The scientist told her that their research team was very close to finding a cure - and Heidi decided she had to help.
“Our research is trying to understand the causes of Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias, so that we can use that knowledge to develop new treatments,” said Selina Wray, an Alzheimer's Research UK Senior Research Fellow in the Department of Neurodegenerative Disease.
“We can only do this thanks to organisations such as ARUK which fund our research, and so every penny Heidi has raised will be put to good use powering the fight against Alzheimer’s disease and moving us closer towards new therapies. Thank you Heidi!”
As Travis hears all about Heidi's fundraising efforts, Sigrid enjoys the ride - until a dog appears on the footpath...
Watch the full episode here to find out what happens next.
Later episodes will be released every Tuesday at 12pm till mid-October.
Charity check-in
At Smiley Movement, we like to elevate the work of charities across the world. Here are three charities whose causes align with the themes in this article.
Macmillan Cancer Support. They provide specialist health care, information and financial support to people affected by cancer. Learn more here.
Cancer Research UK. This charity provides information for anyone affected by any kind of cancer. Support them here.
Alzheimer’s Research UK. An organisation funding research into cures for dementia. Find out more here.
This article aligns with the UN SDG Good Health and Wellbeing.
