A GRIEVING mum has created a lasting tribute to her daughter by setting up a charity in her honour.
Evie Kean was just nine when she died – ten months after being diagnosed with an inoperable brain tumour.
She passed away in January surrounded by family, including her mum Emma Whitfield.
Now Ms Whitfield, 32, has set up Evie's Wishes in the hopes of granting wishes to the families of children with life-threatening illnesses.
Emma, who lives in west Hull and is mum to Lottie Gray, four, and Riley Gray, three, said: "If you've been given a time limit on your child's life, you want to do everything for them.
"But you can't do it if you haven't got the money.
"Obviously, we won't be able to give big payouts at first, but hopefully one day we can.
"It might just be a little thing like a TV in the child's bedroom, but things like that really help."
Evie, who was a student at Penshurst Primary School in Hessle, enjoyed many family adventures before she died, including a trip to Legoland and a day with her mum in Lapland.
Lapland was thanks to When You Wish Upon A Star, while Legoland was paid for with a donation from Freddie's Friends.
Ms Whitfield said: "We wouldn't have been able to do some of the things we did with Evie without help.
"So I want to be able to do the same for other people who are in the same position we were.
"Losing a child really makes you realise how precious life is. If we can do something to help people, even if it is just a small thing, it will make a difference to a family."
Evie's Wishes cannot be officially registered as a charity until it can be proven it raises at least £5,000 a year.
In the meantime, Ms Whitfield, who set up the charity with the help of 12 friends and their partners, is referring to is as an organisation.
It is hoped Evie's Wishes will have an official bank account set up at the end of the month, and that a year from then, it will become a charity.
Ms Whitfield said: "We've had people wanting to fundraise for Evie's Wishes already.
"Her school friends Libby Hanger and Chloe Wraight have been making loom bracelets and are donating the money to Brain Tumour Research UK.
"Libby's mum wants to be the first person to donate when the charity bank account is up and running. We also had a lady running the Hull 10k who wants to make donations.
"We've been touched by so many people who want to help."
Ms Whitfield is also busy organising a number a fundraising activities, including a sponsored walk across the Humber Bridge on August 17, where participants will dress up as minions from Despicable Me. A table-top sale in Hessle is being held on August 23 and a number of other events are in the pipeline.
Ms Whitfield said: "I think if Evie was here, she would be bossing people about and trying to raise as much money as possible. She' d be proud people were doing things in her name – she'd love the attention."
Email evieswishes@outlook.com or search for Evie's Wishes on Facebook to donate.
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