The teenage founder of a charity aimed at helping children undergoing treatment for brain cancer such as herself has received an award from the Prime Minister. 

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak selected Mikayla Beames, aged 17, to receive a Points of Light award last Friday (January 5).

Points of Light are awareness raising and problem-solving heroes who make a positive change in their communities, selected by the Prime Minister. 

Mikayla received her diagnosis of a brain tumour at the age of four after her family noticed issues with her eyesight. She wanted to help other children on the ward where she was receiving treatment.

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She delivered her first gift in 2011, before going on to launch charity Team Mikayla in 2014, which fundraises through various events, raffles and donations, using money raised to help grant wishes to children receiving treatment.

Ms Beames has so far raised over £300,000.

The fundraising campaign involves volunteers running London Marathons and taking part in other fundraising events, to provide treats and gifts for over 300 children receiving treatment at hospitals in Oxford, Leicester, Bristol and Nottingham, with plans to expand to further hospitals.

Ms Beames said: “I feel truly blessed and honoured to receive this award from our Prime Minister.

“I have always been just a girl wanting to make other children fighting cancer receive a break from their painful routine, so to have the work my trustees, volunteers and I do recognised is truly amazing.”

Congratulating Mikayla on her award, MP for Wantage David Johnston said: “Mikayla is a very inspirational young woman who has battled against great odds from a young age not just for herself but on behalf of children like her.

“To have created a successful charity at such a young age is very impressive and I am proud to be a patron of it and to know Mikayla and her family.”

Mr Johnston is due to collect the award from Westminster and present it to Mikayla this week.

The charity has received a further boost in the last week, as it received a cheque from the Wantage Mummers group for £2,250, generated from the group’s ticket sales to its annual Boxing Day pantomime performances in Wantage, Faringdon and Childrey.

A spokesperson for the performance group said: “The Wantage Mummers perform the traditional Berkshire mummers play every Boxing Day in three locations: Faringdon Market Place, Wantage Market Place and Childrey village. 

“The play is the traditional mid-Berkshire hero-combat mummers play dating from the mid-eighteenth century. It was revived in Wantage in 1975.

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“This Christmas the mummers were met by record crowds exceeding 800 people, and on the basis of donations received, we are delighted to give this donation to Team Mikayla.”

Mikayla’s parents, also Trustees of Team Mikayla, said: “Mikayla has been our shining Point of Light since her cancer diagnosis 13 years ago.

“From having the sweet idea to "give her friends in hospital some gifts to help them smile" to actively helping to run and direct her charity, Mikayla continues to amaze and inspire all of us, and we wholeheartedly thank those recognising her ever-growing brightness."