Blackpool Tower to light up green for Mitochondrial Disease awareness

Blackpool Tower will light up green on Saturday September 14, to represent Mitochondrial Disease Awareness week, thanks to one little girl who loves the town.
Blackpool Tower will light up green to raise awareness of mitochondrial diseases.Blackpool Tower will light up green to raise awareness of mitochondrial diseases.
Blackpool Tower will light up green to raise awareness of mitochondrial diseases.

Landmarks around the world light up green from September 15-21 to raise awareness of mitochondrial diseases, and this year it will include the Tower.

Keira Elliot, better known on facebook as "Keke the Merrf warrior", 12, lives in Quinton, Birmingham- but loves Blackpool so much that she visits as often as she can with her family.

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She suffers with a rare form of mitochondrial disease called myoclonic epilepsy with ragged red fibers (merrf) which mostly affects her muscles, but can also result in long stays in hospital.

Keira Elliot, who suffers with a mitochondrial disease, is thrilled she will see the Tower lit up green.Keira Elliot, who suffers with a mitochondrial disease, is thrilled she will see the Tower lit up green.
Keira Elliot, who suffers with a mitochondrial disease, is thrilled she will see the Tower lit up green.

She said: "I'm so excited to see the tower lit up green. I love visiting all the attractions in Blackpool but the tower is my favourite. I love standing on the glass floor!

"I want everyone to see the Blackpool Tower shining green so it raises awareness."

Her mum Zoe, 39, said: "We are coming to Blackpool with my brother and his children to see it.

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"We love Blackpool and we always stay over, visit all the attractions and really enjoy ourselves.

"Keira does a lot of fundraising for the Lily Foundation who help families with these diseases, and this year she's doing a sponsored 'eat your greens' week. "I'm so proud of her, she's always so happy and positive. I want to give her the best life so I have to stay positive too."

Now thanks to Zoe's friend Tracy Shand, who works for Blackpool Council, Keira will see the famous Blackpool landmark light up to raise awareness of the disease's sufferers.

Tracy said: "I have been so inspired by this young girl that I wanted to do something amazing for her. I know she loves Blackpool so I approached a colleague in the council and they agreed to light the Tower green on the 14th September.

"There are now people all from all over the country coming to meet up at Blackpool Tower to meet and support each other. It's going to be amazing."