The mum and sister of a five-year-old, who died from cancer, put on a brave face when they strode down the catwalk to raise money towards a new centre in Aberdeen for families affected by the disease.
Gail Paterson and her daughter Cerys lost little Eileidh to neuroblastoma – an aggressive form of childhood cancer – last month.
Mum reveals tragic Eileidh’s traumatic cancer battle in bid to raise awareness
Ms Paterson, from Forres, was one of 13 models, who rallied in support of the Team Jak Foundation during a special event in Aberdeen on Saturday.
The Moray mum said Eileidh was at the front of her mind, while she pushed through her grief to take part.
She and Cerys, 13, were joined by family members of other north-east youngsters who are fighting cancer or have died as a result of it.
They were treated to a hair and make-up session before donning two outfits each in front of about 100 people at the Malmaison Hotel.
Ms Paterson said: “It was the first time either of us had done anything like this, so we were very nervous, but we enjoyed it once we got into it.
“A family centre is something we desperately need up here, it will make a massive difference.”
The Team Jak Foundation was established by the family of 15-year-old Jak Trueman, whose dying wish was for a base to be created in his memory.
The teenager’s vision was for a place where families affected by cancer could gather to socialise and receive counselling.
A first Jak’s Den was opened in his hometown of Livingston in 2015, and his mum is now trying to amass £70,000 to open a similar site in Aberdeen.
That crusade was boosted on Saturday when the Suncor energy firm pledged £10,000 towards the creation of the facility.
Eileidh was diagnosed with neuroblastoma when she was two, and spent years battling the illness.
In 2015, people from across the north-east and beyond raised £125,000 to send her to America for pioneering medication aimed at tackling the disease.
But it came back with renewed ferocity last year, and she died on Saturday, July 1.
Less than two weeks earlier, she was the centre of attention when she and best friend Harrison Grier had a “fairytale wedding” at the AECC.
