Simon Cowell of X Factor fame shows his altruistic side

November 3, 2009 by Baby Chums
Filed under: Baby Health, News

The X Factor judge Simon Cowell is famed for his no-nonsense, sometimes seen as arrogant and scathing on-camera personality, however showing a character of more depth and complexity in an altruistic move he donated £100k, ($164k) to help save the life of a 18-month-old cancer-stricken toddler.

Sophie Atay from Gateshead is now able to afford the flight to America and for pioneering treatment at the Memorial Sloan Kettering Hospital in New York.

Simon Cowell was able to donate the last funds required to meet the total cost of £500,000 for the treatment.

Sophie’s parents were only told recently that she was suffering from a rare form of neuroblastoma and needed treatment immediately. While UK hospitals had done the utmost to help Sophie, specialist doctors in America would boost her chances of survival from 20 per cent to 90 per cent if seen within the next seven days.

After her appeal was broadcast last week, people from all over the country pledged their support and donated cash.

Yesterday morning she was still £100,000 short of the target, then Simon Cowell stepped in.

Sophie’s mum Karine, said to the Daily Mail of her daughter: ‘Her smile gives me strength and her laugh is contagious. She has such a cheeky character which comes out when you would least expect it too.

‘She could have immense pain, cry for two minutes, then ask me to sing Twinkle Twinkle, Little Star and start laughing.

‘She is my brave soldier and without her bravery I couldn’t have stayed strong. I could explode with my pride for Sophie. She is a fighter and will continue to do so - that’s why I have this appeal for her.

‘Why, when the odds are against you at such a young age and you fight so hard to be normal, accept that this is it?

‘I cannot, and will not, accept this for Sophie. She would want me to do this appeal for her to fight further against this evil disease and give her the best and ultimate chance of life. If Sophie is not giving up why should we?’

Sophie has stage four neuroblastoma which affects just 100 people in the UK each year, about 650 new cases per year are discovered in the US. It’s a rare and particularly aggressive form of cancer.