A LITTLE girl battling leukaemia has inspired her teachers to run the Santathon.

Brave Zoe Mabbott, aged five, was diagnosed with the blood disorder in October, prompting her teachers at Cherry Orchard First School in Pershore to band together and enter the fund-raising race, which takes place at Worcester City Football Club’s St George’s Lane ground tomorrow.

The Caring Caterpillars, named after the school’s logo, will don bright red Father Christmas costumes along with thousands of others to raise cash for Leukaemia CARE, helping the Worcester-based charity care and support families just like Zoe’s.

Cherry Orchard’s headteacher Sarah Bicton said Zoe’s illness had shaken the close-knit school community, which is why they were determined to help raise the profile of the disease.

She said: “When anything like this happens it brings everyone together.

“We’ve got members of staff who have already been touched by the disease and we all felt this was a good thing to do.

“We want to raise the profile of the illness and raise money for a charity that ultimately will help Zoe and her family.”

Zoe, who lives in Pershore, is currently having chemotherapy and her fellow pupils are being kept up to date on how she is doing.

Mrs Bicton said: “We’ve used the information that Zoe’s parents have given her to explain to the children what is happening. We wrote to all the parents and also had an assembly.

“We’ve avoided using the word cancer and being as sensitive as we can, but it’s very important that the children know what is happening.”

Last year’s Santathon raised £26,000 and Leukaemia CARE’s Gemma Harris hopes for a repeat success.

She said: “We are so grateful to the teachers and support staff at Cherry Orchard, and to everyone participating. We hope this year will be bigger than ever.”

To help Zoe’s team smash their fund-raising target of £600 sponsor them online at justgiving.com/caringcaterpillars or call the school on 01386 552515.