A Sunderland woman who has raised thousands for charity in memory of her husband has now launched a fundraising drive for her granddaughter who suffers from a rare condition.
Debbie Lewis Atwill, 53, dived into fundraising following the death of her husband Lee who tragically died from small cell lung cancer aged just 46 in 2018, raising thousands for St Benedicts Hospice.
And after her granddaughter was diagnosed with type 1 spinal muscular atrophy (SMA), a genetic condition that makes the muscles weaker, she set out to raise money for Spinal Muscular Atrophy UK.
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Little Dolcie Walls Atwill was diagnosed with SMA last year when she was just six months old and became the third youngster in the UK to receive a potentially life-lengthening treatment.
Type 1 is the most severe form of SMA and most babies with the condition die during the first few years of life, usually as a result of serious breathing difficulties.
But after receiving a £1.8 million gene therapy called Zolgensma, Debbie, from Houghton-le-Spring said Dolcie, now 13 months, is doing well.
She said: "Dolcie is doing amazing, she's moving her arms, she's moving her legs, and she's even talking.
"I was singing a song and I caught the exact moment on video that Dolcie was trying to sing too!
"She's such a precious little girl, she makes me proud every single day. She looks so much like her grandad."
Lee never got to meet his granddaughter but Debbie said he would have "adored her".
Together with sister-in-law Valerie, Debbie has raised more than £20,000 for St Benedicts Hospice to thank the staff who cared for her husband in his final days.
Debbie, from Houghton, runs a weekly number draw which raises £150 each week to add to the funds.
She said: "I set it up and Valerie helps us a lot and we do the number draw together. We've done the number draw even with Covid, we've done it for two years now.
"We've been raising money for St Benedict's since my husband died in 2018 but we started raising money before he passed away.
"He was not actually in a hospice but we had the palliative care team in his last few weeks and a Macmillan nurse who became a friend for life.
"They were just unbelievable, he used to call them his 'secret angels'. They were just amazing, it brings back all the emotions speaking about it.
"He was only 46, it was very difficult and I had three boys who I was trying to protect."
And to continue Lee's legacy, Debbie came up with a unique idea.
Debbie explained: "I bought Lee a doll in Blackpool who we have since named Captain Skinvincibles.
"We started Captain Skinvincibles' Adventures and he travels all the world, he's been to the Great Wall of China, he's been to Florida. We're continuing on the life Lee unfortunately lost.
"We also have a girl doll and we've called her SMAzing Dolcie.
"We had stickers saying Captain Skinvincibles has been here in memory of Lee Atwill but we're going to change them to include Dolcie too."
Debbie is now hoping to raise as much money as possible for both charities, especially Spinal Muscular Atrophy UK which Debbie said would "mean the world to them".
She added: "It's only a small charity and they didn't have this treatment years ago so babies didn't really survive past two but I think this treatment is actually working.
"So any money to go towards this charity would mean the world to them.
"I just want to thank everyone who has donated in the past and helped us achieve what we have, we're so grateful."
Debbie is also planning a fundraising event at Newbottle Club on September 17 with a £3 entry fee on the door.
If you would like to donate to Debbie's Go Fund Me page, you can do so here.
