Eight-year-old Lola, a Bolton Wanderers supporter from Salford, has turned a gruelling six-week course of radiotherapy into a fundraising effort that has already drawn support from across the football community. She is wearing a different donated football shirt on each of her 30 treatment days at The Christie hospital, with every shirt to be auctioned to raise money for The Christie Charity and Royal Manchester Children's Hospital.

A daily gift in difficult circumstances

Each shirt is wrapped up so Lola has something to open every morning before she sets off for her session. "It's like a birthday present every morning," she said. The challenge runs five mornings a week across six weeks, meaning 30 shirts in total. Some have been donated by her favourite players, though the family are keeping those a surprise until each morning arrives.

Lola's dad James, who works for Bolton Wanderers FC, described the level of backing from the football world as "unbelievable". "People who have never met her have gone out of their way for a little girl they do not know," he said. Lola wore a Wanderers shirt on her very first day of treatment and has made clear she will be wearing one again on the last.

A family no stranger to fundraising

This is not the first time Lola has found a creative way to cope with treatment. Aged four, she wore a different princess outfit to each of her 36 proton beam therapy sessions. That early display of spirit laid the groundwork for what has become a family tradition of turning hardship into generosity.

Lola and her family are already in The Christie's fundraiser Hall of Fame, having raised more than £10,000 through a festival-style party for her fifth birthday. The 30-shirt challenge is the latest chapter in that story.

James said the tumour's return in August came as a "shock". "I couldn't believe we were going to go through it all again," he said. "She has been through so much at such a young age." Her mum Kerry added: "She is a little pot of magic. We couldn't be any more proud of her." The daily ritual of unwrapping a shirt, she said, gives the whole family something to look forward to each morning.

The Championship community behind her

Bolton Wanderers and the wider football community have rallied around Lola in a way that illustrates what supporter culture at Championship level can mean beyond the matchday. The club's connection to her family, through her father's work at Bolton, has helped spread the word quickly.

James put the purpose of it all plainly: "The Christie looked after Lola when she was four and they are looking after her again now, so if her idea raises something for them, that is the least we can do."

Anyone wishing to follow Lola's challenge or contribute can find details through The Christie Charity and Royal Manchester Children's Hospital fundraising pages.

Frequently asked

How can I support Lola's 30-shirt fundraiser for The Christie?
Lola's family are raising money for The Christie Charity and Royal Manchester Children's Hospital. You can find fundraising details through those organisations' official pages.
Is Lola's dad connected to Bolton Wanderers?
Yes, Lola's father James works for Bolton Wanderers FC, and the club has been among those backing her shirt challenge during her radiotherapy treatment.
What is Lola's 30-shirt challenge?
Lola is wearing a different donated football shirt on each of her 30 radiotherapy sessions at The Christie hospital in Manchester. The shirts will then be auctioned to raise funds for The Christie Charity and Royal Manchester Children's Hospital.