Meet the eight-year-old girl who has raised more than £1,500 for the RVI’s allergy clinic

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An eight-year-old girl has raised more than £1,500 for the RVI’s allergy clinic ahead of doing a sponsored walk.

Eight-year-old Isla Robertson, from East Boldon, is set to take on a seven-mile sponsored walk from South Shields Pier to Roker Pier, in Sunderland, to raise money for the Royal Victoria Infirmary’s (RVI) allergy clinic.

Isla wanted to raise money for the clinic having been a patient there since she was around one-year-old after she was hospitalised due to an allergic reaction to eggs.

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Through a number of tests, it was discovered that Isla is allergic to other foods and regularly goes to the Newcastle hospital for routine check ups and further tests.

Isla’s mum, Claire, has spoken to the Shields Gazette about where the idea to do a sponsored walk for the RVI’s allergy department came from.

Isla Robertson, aged eight, is set to take on a seven-mile sponsored walk to raise money for the RVI's allergy clinic.Isla Robertson, aged eight, is set to take on a seven-mile sponsored walk to raise money for the RVI's allergy clinic.
Isla Robertson, aged eight, is set to take on a seven-mile sponsored walk to raise money for the RVI's allergy clinic. | Other 3rd Party

The mum-of-one said: “When Isla was a baby, she had a nasty reaction to egg so we rushed her to hospital in South Shields where she was then referred to the RVI to check for allergies.

“It turned out that she was allergic to eggs as well as other foods so she has been under the team’s care there since she was around the age of one.

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“As a parent, it is a constant worry when we go out to eat, when she is at school or a party because it is hard to control what ingredients are in the food and how it is prepared.

“Throughout her life, Isla has done loads of food challenges with the allergy department to work out what she can and can’t eat but she has always taken it in her stride - to her, it is something that she has always done so it doesn’t really phase her.

“Because all the staff are amazing with her, Isla decided that she wanted to do something as a way of thanking them and with us going for walks along the coast quite often, she wanted to do a sponsored walk.

“Seven miles is a long way but I know that she will get through it as she loves walking, it is what we do as girlie time together.”

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Isla has had a custom t-shirt made for her walk from South Shields Pier to Roker Pier.Isla has had a custom t-shirt made for her walk from South Shields Pier to Roker Pier.
Isla has had a custom t-shirt made for her walk from South Shields Pier to Roker Pier. | Other 3rd Party

At the time of writing and ahead of her walk, Isla has managed to raise more than £1,500 for the REACH-IN (the Research and Education in Allergy for Children in Newcastle) Fund in online donations, cash and Gift Aid.

Claire has expressed her surprise at the amount raised so far and highlighted that the walk is also about raising awareness for those with allergies.

The 48-year-old added: “We set the target at £200 but I really didn’t expect for this much to be raised - everyone who has donated so far have been really kind and generous.

“We’ve spoken to the fundraising team at the RVI as Isla is adamant that the money needs to go to the allergy clinic and they’ve assured us that the team there are aware of what she is doing.

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“This is just a drop in the ocean for what it would cost to fund research but even if it just bought some toys for children to play with while they wait for their appointments then it will have been worth it.

“The walk is also about raising awareness surrounding allergies - no one asks to be allergic to something and it feels like allergies aren’t often taking seriously enough.

“If you don’t take allergies seriously then you could be playing with someone’s life.

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“Isla copes so well with her allergies and I constantly admire how she just gets on with it and goes about her life, so this is about saying thank you to the RVI but also making people aware.”

You can view and donate to Isla’s fundraiser by visiting: https://www.justgiving.com/page/iain-robertson-1721061524900.

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