Emma Whitton doesn’t remember a time that Abbie Main wasn’t in her life.
The two girls were inseparable from when they were just two years old due to their mums and older brothers being already close.
They were in the same classes at school, staged their own X Factor competitions at home at weekends, competed side-by-side for the same cheerleading and dance squad and shared holidays.
Emma, 22, said: “It has always felt like we are sisters. We’ve always been close and such a big part of each other’s lives.”
So when Abbie was given the heartbreaking diagnosis her cancer was terminal when she was just 14 years old, it was her she confided in.
The very same day as Abbie shared the news with her pal, the teens plotted the beginnings of a charity that would continue the legacy of the inspirational Elgin youngster from Emma’s childhood bedroom.
Abbie sketched the logo, decided it should be inspired by her beloved sparkles and gave it a mission to help families facing the same plight as she was with “hospitals and stuff”.
It was her way of giving back after so many causes had provided help to her with support including a laptop to play computer games with on in hospital, her beloved pet dog Skye and family holidays by the coast.
More than seven years after Abbie’s death on Christmas Day 2017 when she was 15, hundreds of thousands of pounds have been raised in her name by the charity that has now supported thousands of families.
By her side all the way through the good times, treatments and to this day as treasurer of Abbie’s Sparkle Foundation has been Emma.
Growing up together
Emma and Abbie remained close right through their days at West End Primary School in Elgin.
Friends from when they were toddlers, the bond strengthened as they got older.
Emma said: “Even weekends we would spend together.
“I remember the X Factor was really big at the time and we would put on these shows ourselves.
“Abbie and I were the back-up dancers for (Abbie’s brother) Cameron and (Emma’s brother) Angus was the IT-tech guy putting on the shows.
“That was pretty much every Saturday.
“We would also go on holidays together, almost as one big family.
“We were like sisters really. It wasn’t like other friendships I’ve had, our families were always together.”
Abbie was first diagnosed with cancer when she was just 10.
After missing several years of school it was only with Emma’s help that her friend returned to class at Elgin Academy late in S2.
Emma said: “She had missed that transition from primary school so I think it was quite intimidating for her.
“The school changed my timetable just so I could sit with her in class to make her more comfortable. She never wanted to be treated any differently though.”
Cheerleading together through cancer
Some of Abbie’s and Emma’s most special times together came while competing for Elgin-based ASCD (All Stars and Stripes Cheer and Dance).
The girls auditioned together when they were 12 and would have fun making up their own dance routines.
When competing in competitions, Abbie would be the flyer, the one who was tossed high in the air to make spectacular somersaults.
Emma would be the back spot, the one ready to catch her. She didn’t want to place that same responsibility on anyone else.
The team played a huge part in both of their lives.
Even as Abbie was going through chemotherapy and operations, she was always back cheerleading as quickly as she could.
And Emma insists the drive and determination for Abbie to keep doing what she loved kept her healthy for longer.
She said: “They are really special memories for me, we both absolutely loved it.
“Abbie loved the sparkles and glitter. She was very tidy too though, I remember her saying so many times after cheerleading ‘Oh no, I’ve got glitter everywhere.’
“They were such special times for both of us, when I look back at the photos of us together there are so many from cheerleading.
“I think it was such a distraction for her when she wasn’t well.
“She had such a passion for it, I genuinely think it kept her healthy and helped her to live longer.”
Bedroom beginnings of Abbie’s Sparkle Foundation
When Abbie was told the news her cancer was terminal when she was just 14 it was Emma she wanted to be with.
The two girls spent the night on Abbie’s “just in case plan”, the two young girls still being in denial about the reality of the situation.
They talked about her wishes for a celebration of her life, and her desire for a charity to be set up to help others with the same challenges she had faced.
She gave it a name, “The Sparkle Foundation”, she sketched a logo and gave it a mission for it to help with “hospitals and stuff”.
Emma kept the notes in her cupboard and didn’t take them out again until she was told Abbie had passed away.
She said: “It didn’t actually feel real. She kept talking about it as her ‘just in case plan’, we didn’t actually think it was going to happen.
“The main thing she wanted was the charity, she didn’t want anybody to forget about her.
“She knew she had been helped by so many different people in different ways too though, she wanted other people to have the same.
“She said ‘hospitals and stuff’, but she knew what it meant. She said ‘You know how Logan’s Fund helped me with (her dog) Skye.’ She also got a laptop to play The Sims while she was in hospital.
“She knew first-hand how important these gifts had been to her and she wanted to do the same thing.”
Abbie’s Sparkle Foundation today
Abbie’s wish for a charity to be set up in her name was a secret she kept between her and Emma.
It was only after she had passed away that Emma presented the handwritten notes she had kept stashed away in her cupboard to her friend’s family.
Within days though they had embraced her wishes and had registered Abbie’s Sparkle Foundation.
Money from the collection after Abbie’s celebration was the first donation, followed by a fundraising auction held on what would have been her 16th birthday.
Seven years later, the charity has raised hundreds of thousands of pounds in memory of Abbie from relentless fundraising by family, friends and supporters in Moray and beyond.
Today the cause helps every child in Scotland facing cancer with gifts, called “Sparkle Bags”, delivered to hospitals.
At Easter volunteers delivered 231 of the treats, which contain £100 Amazon vouchers so they can spend it on whatever they need most, sweet snacks and a special sparkly wristband.
The group also has its own holiday cabin, Abbie’s Sparkle Lodge, at Dalraddy Holiday Park near Aviemore, which was one of her favourite places to visit.
Emma said: “Abbie stayed at the caravan that Logan’s Fund has in Lossiemouth and although it’s just round the corner from Elgin, she really loved it.
“It makes such a difference to families just to relieve that financial burden of going on holiday, especially with trips to hospital and so many other things.
“We had all planned to go on holiday to Florida, but after Abbie was told she was in the final stages the insurance wouldn’t cover it so we went to Center Parcs on the south coast of England instead.
“Abbie was just amazing, she showed incredible strength.
“She was cycling everywhere and climbing up the stairs to go down the water slides. Then after she went down it she would say ‘Right, we’re going again.’
“I was exhausted but Abbie just kept going.
“She just had this amazing determination and always wanted to live life to the fullest.”
Abbie’s Sparkle Foundation has been chosen by Press and Journal readers to be recipients from the P&J Community Fund. You can donate online to support them and Clan Cancer Support HERE.
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