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Team mikayla light switch on soon..

Tue, 18 Nov 2025 13:05:35 GMT

Team Mikayla 50.000! Light switch on is almost here and we are getting ready.

T eam Mikayla is excited to announce that our annual Christmas Light Switch-On is now just around the corner! On Friday 29th November, the community will once again come together at 23 Chapel Way, Childrey for an evening of festive magic, family fun, and Christmas cheer.

With the big night fast approaching, preparations are well underway, lights are being checked, decorations are being set up, and Santa is getting ready for his special visit. This year promises to be one of our brightest and most heart-warming events yet.

This is a free event all we ask is for a donation!

What’s Waiting for You

As we count down the days, here’s a reminder of what’s in store:

A stunning switch-on of the Christmas lights
Santa’s visit, with a free treat for every child
Mince pies, mulled wine, and warm festive refreshments
Burgers and hot dogs available buy and to enjoy
A welcoming, family-friendly atmosphere for all ages

Join Us

The fun begins at 6pm, with the official lights switch-on shortly after. The event is free to attend, and donations are gratefully received to support the continued work of Team Mikayla.

The countdown is on, the Christmas Light Switch-On is nearly here, and we can’t wait to celebrate with you!

heartwarming BBC Radio Oxford interview

Thu, 07 Aug 2025 10:00:47 GMT

Watch this heartwarming BBC Radio Oxford interview with Adam Ball as he speaks to the truly inspirational Mikayla Beames and her proud mum, Natasha!

At just 18, Mikayla has been awarded a BEM (British Empire Medal) for her incredible charity work with Team Mikayla , granting wishes to children battling cancer – all while fighting her own brain cancer since she was just four years old.

Hear all about her unforgettable day at Buckingham Palace where she not only received her honour but also had a personal chat with Prince William ! The interview also revisits a previous surprise where BBC Radio Oxford and families Mikayla has helped celebrated her 'Make a Difference' award.

In this interview, you'll hear:

Mikayla's humble and surprised reaction to receiving the BEM.
Details of her experience at Buckingham Palace, including the "lovely buffet"!
What it was really like to meet and chat with Prince William.
The driving force behind Team Mikayla and her dedication to helping other children.
An update on Mikayla's ongoing treatment and her inspiring resilience.
Information about upcoming fundraising events for Team Mikayla, including a skydive!

An incredible story of selflessness, courage, and making a profound difference in the lives of others. Don't miss this amazing conversation!

Celebrating our Mikayla!

Wed, 12 Mar 2025 12:16:54 GMT

Celebrating our Mikayla

Mikayla Beames who was given a British Empire Medal for her services to charitable fundraising in the New Year’s Honours List, was today congratulated by some our senior councillors.

Mikayla Beames has been given a British Empire Medal for her services to charitable fundraising

Wed, 22 Jan 2025 19:14:20 GMT

Mikayla Beames, from Wantage, Oxfordshire, has been given a British Empire Medal for her services to charitable fundraising.

The 18-year-old, who is currently undergoing chemotherapy for brain cancer, set up the charity Team Mikayla in 2014, which grants wishes for children being treated at four UK hospitals.

Mikayla, who won a BBC Make a Difference Award in September for her fundraising, said she was initially told by her mum that a "very important letter" had arrived for her.

Mikayla said her mission remains to "create more and more smiles" for children with cancer, which she said is "such a hard journey".

Mum Natasha said she was extremely proud of Mikayla.

"It's still surreal. We're just normal people trying to do good in the community. To get the honour for Mikayla, it's like, 'this is really happening!'"

This Christmas the charity delivered more than £2,000 worth of books and toys to children's hospital wards in Oxford, Bristol, Leicester and Nottingham. -- BBC

MIDEA AT THE BOTTEM

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- Northwich Guardian

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"Wantage charity founder presented Prime Minister's award"

Wed, 14 Feb 2024 21:34:59 GMT

Mikayla Beames presented with her Points of Light Award with MP David Johnston

Seventeen-year-old Mikayla Beames founded Team Mikayla in 2011, a charity aimed at helping children undergoing treatment for brain cancer at four different hospitals by granting wishes and giving them gifts.

Mikayla was presented with the award on Friday (February 9) by MP for Wantage David Johnston.

David Johnston MP said: “As the proud patron of her charity, I was honoured to present Mikayla with her well-deserved Points of Light Award from the Prime Minister. “It recognises the incredible work that she has done to improve the lives of hundreds of children across England who are bravely battling cancer.”

Mikayla Beames said: “I am surprised and honoured to be recognised for my charity work from our Prime Minister, and a huge thank you to our Patron and local MP David Johnston for presenting it.”

Mikayla say's "Thank you"

183:816249001 (Barry Hopkins) — Tue, 18 May 2021 00:03:18 GMT

In pictures: 11-year-old cancer sufferer Mikayla Beames from Wantage says thank you to all her charity supporters

From Wantage Herald, October 2017

AT 11 years old, Mikayla Beames has battled cancer, founded a charity to help other cancer sufferers and helped it raise £70,000.

There are few people in Oxfordshire more deserving of a medal.

Instead, to celebrate her charity's third birthday at the end of September, she held an awards ceremony to thank all the other people who had helped it on its way.

She and the other members of Team Mikayla told Pete Hughes their story and why they wanted to say 70,000 thank-yous.

IN September 2014, eight-year-old Mikayla Beames had been receiving treatment for tumours in her brain since the age of four.

Mikayla, from Childrey near Wantage, had spent a huge portion of her young life on Kamran's Ward at the John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford.

When she asked her mum Natasha if she could do something to help her friends on the ward – children with cancer and leukaemia – to forget their pain, forget their worries and bring forth their smiles and youthful happiness, her charity Team Mikayla was formed.

Its very first fundraising event – the christening party for Mikayla and her siblings – raised more than £1,000.

Since then, the charity has raised £70,000 in total and £44,000 in the past year alone.

This extraordinary amount of money has enabled Team Mikayla to grant wishes to 33 brave children, ranging from holidays and laptops and musicals and driving lessons as well as countless Christmas presents, Easter eggs, and overnight wash kits for children on the ward and their parents.

"And of course," enthuses Mrs Beames, "none of this would be possible without the kind donations from, or sponsorship of, the 171 individuals and businesses doing wonderful things to achieve Mikayla’s dream.

"Over the three years since the charity’s inception, there has been a magnificent diversity in the events and personal challenges undertaken from an even-greater diversity of individuals."

To name just a few, these have included pantomimes and Christingle services; fundraisers by Wantage Girl Guides and Brownies; Christmas parties at the Sweatbox youth club in Wantage, and gruelling sporting events such as cycling, swimming, and running, all supported by the ever-growing army of volunteers.

Mikayla at 14

Mon, 17 May 2021 23:45:39 GMT

Mikayla Beames, 14, finally finds a cancer therapy that works...

Text taken from Wantage Herald 4th May 2021

A TEENAGE girl who has been battling cancer for a decade has seen miraculous results after trialling a new drug.

At 14 years old, Mikayla Beames has been fighting cancer for most of her life.

The teenager, who lives in Childrey near Wantage, was diagnosed with an inoperable brain tumour at the age of just four and has since been through a number of rounds of chemotherapy as well as several other forms of difficult treatment.

Read also: Lidl opens its latest store in Abingdon

Despite that, she set up a charity called Team Mikayla which has helped to grant the wishes of hundreds of other children also fighting cancer.

For that work, she has won several awards and met Prince Harry twice.

However, in November, Mikayla got her own wish granted when she was put on a new treatment for her cancer called 'inhibitors', which help the body recognise and attack cancer cells.

The latest scans of Mikayla's brain, shared by her mother Natasha, show that the tumour has shrunk by a half.

The teenager's family are now thrilled after her turnaround and, in an emotional interview with this paper, her mother said she has been waiting for these results for ten years.

Ms Beames said: "Mikayla was diagnosed with a large tumour in her brain when she was very young.

"She was very quickly started on to chemotherapy and we have had to do six different rounds of it because the tumour just kept growing.

"Now she is 14, so it has been a very long-winded, hard and draining battle.

"We ran out of ideas of what we can do with the tumour – but there is a new treatment called inhibitors and Mikayla was granted it on the NHS."

Ms Beames said Mikayla was the first child to try the inhibitors treatment at the John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford.

She went on: "We have waited ten years to get those answers, it has been a long road.

"We just kept getting bad news after more bad news, so it is so overwhelming and exciting that the tumour has shrunk by a half.

When I was 6

Mon, 10 Feb 2020 17:30:38 GMT

When I was six, I had this picture in the Oxford Times....

Again looking for me online, found this old picture from The Oxford Mail... I was only six!

Old Daily Mail story

Mon, 10 Feb 2020 17:19:19 GMT

Daily Mail Online 2017

I was looking and searching for things about me online for the new website and found this one. I like this smiley picture. Below was copied from the Daily Mail Online story.. hope they don't mind!

By CATHERINE O'BRIEN FOR YOU MAGAZINE - PUBLISHED: 01:02, 9 April 2017

Mikayla was diagnosed with brain cancer at the age of four. Although she has undergone several rounds of chemotherapy to reduce her tumour, her vision has been severely affected and she is now registered blind. After meeting other sick children while undergoing treatment, Mikayla, from Wantage, Oxfordshire, set up the charity Team Mikayla to help other young patients’ dreams come true.

Mum Natasha explains that her slogan is ‘Dream, pray, miracles all the way’, adding: ‘We feel that if more people could be like Mikayla, the world would be a better place.’

Link to the whole story including all the other winners is here

Mikayla's Diary 7th February 2020

Fri, 07 Feb 2020 21:58:13 GMT

Mikayla has Won a High Sheriff of Oxfordshire Award...

What an honour to be awarded this. I have not had a good week, what with the treatments etc, but this is exciting!