A golf day in memory of a 16-year-old girl who died of a rare immune disorder raised £9,500 for charity.
Gracie Bonney, who was a pupil at Nobel School in Stevenage, sadly died in December 2020 after being diagnosed with HLH, a rare condition which causes white blood cells to attack other organs.
Andy Bonney, Gracie's dad, told the Comet: "Gracie was a normal, healthy young lady.
"She had a cold and flu-like symptoms, she didn't get any worse but she wasn't getting better.
"We took her to Lister and she was treated for a UTI. After seven days of antibiotics I had to take her back, and they said it was just a virus and she'd get over it.
"She had some blood tests at Lister on December 3, and the tests suggested sepsis."
After antibiotic treatment was unsuccessful, Gracie had a bone marrow biopsy and was diagnosed with the rare immune disorder HLH, or hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis.
She was transferred to University College London Hospital on December 12 and sadly died on December 17.
Andy, who lives in York Road, said: "It was horrendous for all of us. For my wife and the other kids, and other family members. It was awful.
"She was healthy, very sarcastic and quick-witted. She was a lovely, normal, beautiful girl."
Gracie is also survived by her mum Amy, and her siblings.
The golf day, which also included food, a raffle and an evening disco, was held in Gracie's memory on Friday, August 27 at Stevenage Golf and Conference Centre.
Around 56 golfers took part, with around 120 people attending the evening event.
Andy said: "We had a really good response. We've still got one item from the auction to sell which is a Zoom masterclass with chef Jean-Christophe Novelli.
"It was an excellent day. There were great memories of Gracie going up on screens.
"Our thanks go out to all the local sponsors and everyone that was involved with the day, and everybody who helped us getting the prizes."
The money raised will go towards Histio UK, which helps both children and adults suffering from histiocytosis - an umbrella term for white blood cell disorders including HLH.
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