Sudbury schoolgirl Alannah Wilkinson, who beat cancer, delivers message of hope with solo performance at Christmas concert
A young singer has delivered a message of hope at a special Christmas carols concert – four months on from winning her battle with cancer.
Twelve-year-old Alannah Wilkinson performed a solo rendition of the classic John Lennon song ‘Imagine’ during the HappySounds Community Choir concert at the weekend, helping to raise funds for the Little Havens Hospice.
The solo at All Saints’ Church echoed her performance at the iconic Stawberry Fields in Liverpool last year, when she opened an art exhibition staged by her father James, who runs the Pop Noveau Gallery in Friars Street.
The senior management from Strawberry Fields were also in attendance at the concert on Saturday, in which Alannah performed with the actual microphone leads originally used by Lennon to record ‘Imagine’.
The collaboration came about after HappySounds choir leader Nettie Osman learned of Alannah’s Liverpool performance in April 2022 – whilst the youngster was in the midst of treatment for leukaemia.
On August 23 this year, the Sudbury schoolgirl finally received the all-clear, after two-and-a-half years of daily chemotherapy, following her diagnosis in March 2021.
Dad James, an art collector and painter, revealed that, by coincidence, the family had spent years supporting Little Havens Hospice – which cares for young people with serious illnesses – and other cancer charities, prior to Alannah’s diagnosis.
Over six years, they raises more than £20,000 through exhibitions of James’ works as artist-in-residence at the V Festival, while Alannah herself raised £1,200 in 2017, aged six, after cutting off her hair to support children undergoing chemotherapy.
“I guess we were just paying our dues in advance,” James told the Free Press. “Little Havens Hospice have been helping children for years, and we have five kids, so it has always meant something to us.
“When Alannah was diagnosed, it was devastating. Thankfully, after two-and-a-half years of daily therapy, she came through it – but, we know others aren’t so lucky.
“Alannah never stopped fighting, even though she was extremely ill. She raised £5,000 for the nurses treating her and the Addenbrooke’s Hospital child oncology unit.
James, who is also a keen collector of historic music artwork and memorabilia, explained that the John Lennon connection had emerged when he was exhibiting art he had created from microphone leads at Strawberry Fields.
This presented the opportunity for Alannah to perform, while she was still undergoing treatment, in front of a large audience, including Lennon’s sister, and members of his first band, The Quarrymen.
“I run art lessons at my gallery, and one of my students – Nettie Osman, who runs HappySounds – heard about this,” James explained.
“When Alannah rang the bell in August, to say she had beaten cancer, she was asked if she would sing ‘Imagine’ at the choir’s carol concert, which meant a lot. It’s really a message of hope for everyone.”
