Teenager who beat cancer sings alongside Girls Aloud star at celebrity-filled gala

A teenage girl performed to a star-studded audience with a Girls Aloud member at the Children with Cancer UK Gala in a choir made up of young people who have experienced a cancer diagnosis.

The choir, involving 11 children along with some of their siblings, sang a unique rendition of A Million Dreams from The Greatest Showman with Girls Aloud star, Nicola Roberts, supported by musical director Adam Gerber, at the Children with Cancer UK Gala.

A member of the choir included Phoebe Folarin, aged 13, from Brockley. In 2012, Phoebe was diagnosed and underwent treatment for Wilms’ tumour, a type of kidney cancer, shortly before her second birthday.

Phoebe sang as part of the choir on the evening to hundreds of guests, which included her mum Laura.

Phoebe’s mum Laura Folarin said: “To watch Phoebe perform on stage with Nicola Roberts to hundreds of guests after everything she went through at such a young age, was an incredibly proud and emotional moment.

“No child should have to receive a cancer diagnosis and we hope that the choir’s performance at the Gala will help increase awareness and understanding of childhood cancer, and raise vital funding to support other young patients and their families who are fighting this devastating disease.”

Famous faces including TV personality Vanessa Feltz, journalist and presenter Andrea McLean, TV and radio presenter Angellica Bell, interior designer Kelly Hoppen, TV personality Ollie Locke and Ambassador for the charity, Olympian Paula Radcliffe, showed their support at this year’s Children with Cancer UK annual Gala, which took place at London’s Grosvenor House in Park Lane, Marble Arch.

Hosted by TV and radio presenter, Gaby Roslin, the fundraising event on November 11 welcomed over 600 guests and raised more £620,000 to help fund the charity’s ground-breaking research into the treatment and causes of childhood cancers.

Guests at the Gala also enjoyed a live music set from Grammy-award winners, Soul II Soul, including their number one hit, Back to Life.

Children with Cancer UK is one of the leading national children’s charities working towards a world where every child survives cancer.

Jo Elvin, CEO of Children with Cancer UK, said: “We’d like to thank Phoebe and all of the members of the children’s choir for giving such an inspiring performance at this year’s Children with Cancer UK Gala. It was an incredibly moving moment and a privilege to hear the stories of the young choir members and their families.

“Every pound raised from this year’s Gala will make an immediate impact for children and their families by helping to fund life-saving scientific research into childhood cancers and provide crucial ongoing support for young cancer patients and their loved ones.”

Pictured top: Far left, Phoebe Folarin looks over at Nicola Roberts as they perform to more than 600 guests at the Children with Cancer UK Gala (Picture: Cancer UK)