Catherine is inspired to daring 167ft abseil

Catherine Seeley heard about three-year-old Oscar Knox during the European Championships and was smitten by the courage of the three-year-old who is fighting cancer.

Oscar had been pictured with a poster reading: ‘My ma thinks I’ll be in bed early’ - an homage to the Irish football fans who had become famous with their sign at the Euros stating: ‘Angela Merkel thinks we’re at work’.

“I could tell he was a sick wee boy as he had a wire coming from his nose so I looked his story up,” said 24-year-old Catherine.

“Touched by his story I followed him on Twitter and kept up to date with his progress. A while later his mum and dad asked for volunteers to abseil down the Europa Hotel. I immediately signed up.

“I have never done anything like this before, am terrified of heights and am not the outdoorsy type but if a three -year-old boy can brave cancer then I, a 24-year-old woman, can brave height,” she said.

“I want to raise at least £1,000 - so far thanks to friends and family I have raised £400. But I still have a way to go and really need help from the wider community and local businesses,” she said.

Oscar, who will be four in September, is the son of Stephen and Leona Knox from Belfast who also have a little girl called Isobella, better known as Izzie.

Oscar is fighting an aggressive form of childhood cancer called neuroblastoma. Even if Oscar wins this part of the battle, the cancer is so aggressive that it is very likely to come back. So his parents need to bring him to either Germany or the US so as he can receive a treatment that significantly decreases the chances of the cancer returning. This treatment is not available in the UK and costs £250,000.

Catherine is also eager to sell Oscar Knox wristbands which have already been sported by many celebrities including Westlife’s Nicky Byrne, boxer Paddy Barnes, Tyrone GAA star Jarlath Burns, Linfield FC footballer Ricky Hatton and Joe McElderry.

The wristbands are available at Catherine’s sister’s beauty and day spa in Portadown’s Castle Lane - ‘Simply Beautiful’ . They cost just £2.

Catherine will be abseiling on Sunday, September 30.

You can donate by contacting Catherine via her facebook and twitter accounts and by donating via her online page.

Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/catherine.seeley.7

Twitter page: @CatSeeley

Online donation page: http://www.justgiving.com/Catherine-Seeley