Teenager honoured for cancer fundraising

A teenager who has lived with cancer since she was four has been recognised in the New Year Honours List for raising money for other children with the disease.

Mikayla Beames, from Wantage, Oxfordshire, has been given a British Empire Medal for her services to charitable fundraising.

The 18-year-old, who is currently undergoing chemotherapy for brain cancer, set up the charity Team Mikayla in 2014, which grants wishes for children being treated at four UK hospitals.

Another honours recipient was Paralympic rower Erin Kennedy, who has been appointed an OBE for services to rowing and to breast cancer awareness.

Mikayla said her mission remains to "create more and more smiles" for children with cancer, which she said is "such a hard journey".

Mum Natasha said she was extremely proud of Mikayla.

"It's still surreal. We're just normal people trying to do good in the community. To get the honour for Mikayla, it's like, 'this is really happening!'"

This Christmas the charity delivered more than £2,000 worth of books and toys to children's hospital wards in Oxford, Bristol, Leicester and Nottingham.

Erin Kennedy's honour comes after the Henley rower won a gold medal at the Paralympic Games in 2024.

She was diagnosed with breast cancer in May 2022 and became an advocate for early detection and diagnosis.

After winning gold at the 2022 European Championships while undergoing chemotherapy, she underwent a double mastectomy before winning the 2023 European Championships.