A dying young mum has just returned from a “magical” holiday to Disneyland Paris with her family.
Kind-hearted people raised thousands of pounds to send Laura Gray, 28, and her family on the special break after the Tele reported she had been diagnosed with incurable cancer.
Laura, from Lochee, said: “We had an amazing time. It was a very special holiday and we made so many happy memories for my daughters.
“They just loved it — they really didn’t want to come home.”
In August, Laura told the Tele she was devastated to have been diagnosed with breast cancer.
She said: “After the diagnosis, one of the hardest things was telling my daughters, Hannah, six and Holly, four, that I wasn’t well.
“When I asked them what they’d like to do, they said they would love to go to Disneyland Paris.
“My partner Luke Power and I had been trying to raise the money to take them.
“We launched a fundraising page — after we did that and the story appeared in the Tele, donations came flooding in.”
Enough money was raised within a matter of weeks to allow the family to go to Paris.
Laura said: “We are so grateful to everyone who helped make this happen.
“It was incredible to be able to raise so much money so quickly to allow us all to go.
“We made some very special memories when we were away.”
She added: “I’m glad the girls will always have this special holiday to look back on.”
Laura said that when they were away she tried to go on as many rides as possible.
She said: “I think the favourite thing for all of us was meeting so many of the characters. Holly and Hannah got so many autographs in their book — they loved every minute.
“I really had an incredible time — I managed to keep going and wasn’t too tired when we were away.”
Laura has further tests to undergo next week and said she is trying to keep cheerful and upbeat in the meantime. She said: “Everyone around me is still very upset and concerned and I feel it’s up to me to try to keep everyone smiling.”
Laura was told last September that she had stage one, grade three, triple negative cancer.
Since then, she has had chemotherapy and lost her hair and her strength.
Laura said: “I’ve also had a double mastectomy and reconstruction, but was told that they couldn’t remove the tumour in my armpit, as it’s wrapped around blood vessels and nerves.
“I now have secondary breast cancer and it’s incurable.”
Dundee recreation club raises another £340 for cancer patient Laura
Cancer-stricken mum set for Disneyland thanks to donation from Dundee clubbie