Thousands of birthday cards collected for Rowley Regis seven-year-old girl with cancer as appeal set to smash target
An appeal for cards for a seven year-old Black Country girl receiving palliative care for cancer is set to smash its target of 8,000.
Amelia Kolpa, from Rowley Regis has neuroblastoma and has been in and out of hospital since the age of two and a half.
Appeal organisers aimed to collect over 8,000 cards to mark her eighth birthday on March 3 but have been 'overwhelmed' by the response, and the total could hit six figures.
One of the organisers of the appeal is Matt Lemm from the Lockside Steakhouse in Wollaston, Stourbridge where the restaurant has acted as a collection point for the cards.
He and social media creator Michael Withnall who does a number of charity projects, will deliver scores of cards to Amelia's parents next Thursday and they think the total could pass 100,000,
Matt said: "It has been an incredible response so far. As of Wednesday we have around 1,000 cards here, 11,000 in transit with Michael, and I have 6,000 at home.
"So many businesses, schools and of course individuals have got involved it has really taken off and safe to say, the 8,000, target which was set by Amelia herself is set to be surpassed many times over.
"We are taking the cards to Amelia and her family next Thursday and the appeal seems to be growing and growing, I can see us reaching over 100,000 it is heart warming to see."
Charmaine Grace, one of Amelia's family members, said: "All I'm asking is for you all to send a birthday card - even if it's from animals, it all counts.
"It's a dream. She knows that we've got such an amazing community behind her but for her story to come out and everyone to show the love to her, it means the world."
She added the flurry of cards would "give her hope".
Current collection points with full addresses include: Highfield Primary School, Beeches Road, Rowley Regis, B65 ODA. Leasowes High School, Kent Road, Halesowen, B62 8PJ. Artisan Expresso Bar Ltd, 168 Halesowen St, Blackheath, Rowley Regis, B65 OES. Fairfield Inn, Fairfield Rd, Hurst Green, Halesowen, B62 9JA; The Big Chippy Dudley14 Jew's Ln, Lower Gornal, Dudley DY3 2AB
