A heartbroken Dundee teenager led more than 1,000 people through the streets of Edinburgh on Saturday night for Scotland’s first ever March on Cancer.
Matthew Purvis, 17, whose sister Natalie died from a rare form of bone cancer last March, was chosen as the flagbearer to lead the sponsored night-time walk for Cancer Research UK.
The 21-year-old Abertay University student died from Ewing’s Sarcoma following a brave fight against her disease, a battle which Matthew said he hopes can inspire others to stand up to the illness.
“I felt very proud to carry the flag,” said Matthew.
“I’m standing up to cancer as I don’t want anyone else to lose a sister like I did. All our family miss Natalie so much and mum made a promise to Natalie that she will never be forgotten.
“Although Natalie is no longer with us she was with us in spirit and in all our hearts. It was a very special night that our family will always remember.”
Natalie’s weight plunged to almost five stone before scans at Ninewells Hospital finally revealed the cancer that affects fewer than 100 people in the UK every year.
She endured chemotherapy but died on February 23 2013. Matthew was joined by his mum Angela, 52, family and friends for the 45-minute procession through the heart of Edinburgh.
Before setting off, the crowd was addressed by inspirational Rosyth mum Brenda Duncan.
Her 11-year-old son Noah has beaten cancer twice after being diagnosed with a rare form of the disease, orbital rhabdomyosarcoma, in 2009.
The March on Cancer is part of a collaborative fundraising campaign between Cancer Research UK and Channel 4, with a live television fundraiser to take place on Friday evening at 7.30pm.
Lisa Adams, Cancer Research UK’s spokeswoman for Scotland, said: “More people are surviving cancer than ever before and there’s been incredible progress in the last 40 years.
“We have the technology and the knowledge to conquer cancer. We just need the funds to turn it into real-life treatments.
“Stand Up To Cancer raises money for translational research which is often described as ‘bench to bedside’ because it takes treatments from the lab bench and develops them to help patients being treated in hospital.
“To help more people survive, we need everyone to Stand Up To Cancer now,” she said.