Northern Ireland

Friends of Co Down teenager who died one week after being diagnosed with a rare form of blood cancer make film to raise awareness of leukaemia

Catherine Buchanan (17) from Crawfordsburn, died in September 2013, one week after being diagnosed with a rare form of blood cancer
Catherine Buchanan (17) from Crawfordsburn, died in September 2013, one week after being diagnosed with a rare form of blood cancer Catherine Buchanan (17) from Crawfordsburn, died in September 2013, one week after being diagnosed with a rare form of blood cancer

Friends of a Co Down teenager who died one week after she was diagnosed with a rare form of blood cancer have come together to make a special video in her memory to raise awareness of leukaemia.

Catherine Buchanan was 17 when she passed away on September 21, 2013.

A pupil at Strathearn Grammar School in Belfast, where she was studying for her A-Levels, with dreams of becoming a scientist, Catherine began to feel ill in August 2013.

Having just received her application form to study natural sciences at Cambridge University, Catherine, who lived in Crawfordsburn, was diagnosed with rare and aggressive form of blood cancer called APL - Acute Promyelocytic Leukaemia.

A week after her diagnosis, Catherine died.

Her father Richard became involved with Leukaemia & Lymphoma NI, the only charity in Northern Ireland dedicated to fighting blood cancer.

Six years on from her death, Catherine's school friends have come together to make a short film for the charity in a bid to raise awareness of leukaemia during September, which is blood cancer awareness month, while also celebrating 55 years of Leukaemia & Lymphoma NI supporting and funding research at the Centre for Cancer Research and Cell Biology at Belfast City Hospital.

In the film, which is to be shown before feature films in Northern Ireland cinemas from tomorrow, three of Catherine's friends, Lucy Webb, Emma Murphy and Emma Thomson, recount memories of their friend.

Emma Murphy, who features in the film, said it was "such a shock" to lose Catherine.

"We met when we were seven at primary school and were really good friends all the way through school," she said.

"It all happened very suddenly and we had no time to process that she had leukaemia never mind what would happen."

Catherine's father, Richard, who is now chairman of Leukaemia & Lymphoma NI, said the pain of losing his daughter "is no less than the day Catherine died six years ago".

"I miss taking her to the horse riding that she so loved and I miss watching the stars together and our beach walks," he said.

"I remember with happiness our camping trip to Scotland just before Catherine died. Maybe one day I will be able to just think of the happy times, but everything is still just too sad.

"When Catherine died, I wanted to help others and I am able to do so through the charity. I never expected to, but I am really enjoying it".

He added: "We're really thankful to Catherine's friends for helping to make this film. We hope it will raise awareness of leukaemia and the work we do, and may help raise funds for vital research".

***Further information about Leukaemia & Lymphoma NI is available at www.llni.co.uk

***Tickets for the charity's next fundraiser, the Love Letters Ball at Titanic Belfast on Friday, September 27 are still available