Coleraine’s Isla Gault was diagnosed with a brain tumour in February and Sunday’s family fun day and tractor run raised £6,105 to support Isla who underwent life-saving surgeries in February.
The Damhead Primary School pupil became seriously ill just hours after competing in the Ballymena Irish Dancing Festival.
Her mum Hilary Gault recalled: “Isla showed no symptoms of the tumour until later that night, after she had gone to bed, when she started being sick and said she had a really sore head.
“Isla never had headaches so we knew something was wrong. She wasn't making any sense and was starting to lose consciousness.
“It was really scary; thankfully we live close to Causeway Hospital and got there at around 2.30am. We saw a consultant and a CT scan showed a bleed in Isla's brain.
“She was taken to the Royal Victoria Hospital by ambulance for emergency surgery and an MRI scan the following day showed she had a brain tumour.
“Our lives completely turned upside down, and within weeks she’d undergone life-saving surgeries to remove the tumour before receiving six-weeks of proton beam radiotherapy in Manchester.”
In response Roadside (Garages) Coleraine set up a Give Wheel fundraising page and hosted the charity event to help their marketing colleague – Isla’s mum – as well as support their chosen charities MacMillan Cancer and Young Lives vs Cancer.
In collaboration with Damhead Primary School, Coleraine and Dominican College in Portstewart, where Isla’s dad Steven teaches, the car dealership welcomed hundreds of people on the day.
Isla’s friends from Ashley Gault School of Irish Dancing and Sika Gymnastics, including her sister Katy, performed.
Ian Lamont of Roadside Coleraine said: “We are incredibly fortunate to have Jonny McKee from our after sales team, who serves as the current club leader at Coleraine Young Farmers. His support has been instrumental in rallying assistance across Northern Ireland.”
So far the Roadside Give Wheel page has raised £7,205 of their £20,000 target.
Hilary added: “The last two months have been extremely tough but the care and support we have received has blown us away.”
1. Isla's Tractor Run
A family fun day and tractor run has raised £6,105 for Isla Gault, an amazing 10-year-old Coleraine girl who was diagnosed with a brain tumour. Pictured at the event are Libby Thompson from Dominican College, Portstewart, Jill Laverty, principal of Damhead Primary School, Coleraine, David Boyd, Roadside Garages, Steven Gault, Zephryn Patton, Damhead Primary School PFA, Hilary Gault, Isla Gault, Charlie, Isla's friend, 'Big Jimmy', Ian Lamont, Roadside Garages, Donkey, social media personality, Valerie Cubitt, Young Lives vs Cancer, Strato, Social Media Personality, Michael Dunlop, John Law and Jonny McKee, of Roadside GaragesPhoto: Mark Kerr
2. Isla's Tractor Run
Isla Gault and her friends from Sika Gymnastics Club who performed at the eventPhoto: Mark Kerr
3. Isla's Tractor Run
Over 50 tractors, big and small, old and young, took part in the fundraising event for Isla GaultPhoto: Mark Kerr
4. Isla's Tractor Run
Fresh from his record breaking 29th Isle of Man TT Victory, local man Michael Dunlop led the convoy of tractors along the famous NW200 Course to raise money for Coleraine's Isla GaultPhoto: Mark Kerr