Community Corner raises thousands for South Tyneside pupil's treatment

Community Corner donate funds to Rihanna.

A schoolgirl who has been forced to live with a '˜Port Wine' mark on her face since birth is finally getting the treatment she needs '“ thanks to the generosity of people in South Tyneside.

Little Rihanna Geach Moore has not let the mark which covers the left side of her face affect her quality of life.

However, her dad Darren Moore and step-mum Kerry Marshall worry for the future of the Laygate Primary School pupil as she gets older.

Rihanna has already undergone 13 courses of treatment at the James Cook University Hospital, Middlesbrough - funded by the NHS.

But the funding had run out to complete the treatments – and Rihanna needs eight more.

Mr Moore’s grandfather Tommy Elliott launched a fundraising drive raising enough cash to pay for four.

Community Corner, which is run by mother and daughter team Lynne Davis and Cheryl McDonald, handed Rihanna a cheque for £3,000 to pay for three more sessions.

Each treatment, lasting 20 minutes, costs £1,000.

Mr Moore said: “At the moment the mark on her face hasn’t really bothered her, but we’re worried for her future when she is older.

“All the kids at school have grown up with Rihanna so are used to seeing her with the mark, but when she goes into the senior school we know it will be a different story as kids can be so cruel at times.

“It was just upsetting knowing the treatments were going to stop and there was nothing we could do. It’s great what Community Corner have done.”

Miss Marshall said: “The generosity of people has been unbelievable. We didn’t think we would be able to find the money to finish the treatments.”

Community Corner sells donated goods to raise cash for good causes in South Tyneside.

Mrs Davis said: “It’s just been a pleasure to raise the money for Rihanna.

“We’d just like to thank all our customers for their donations, they have been brilliant as always.

“To raise £3,000 is amazing, especially as this past week our hours have been reduced due to the summer holidays.”

Miss McDonald said: “We’d like to thank the businesses who donated auction prizes to help boost the fund for Rihanna.

“We are really glad we have been able to help another person within our community.”