Paige Dougall: mum vows to continue daughter's legacy with charity work

The mother of the Fife teenager Paige Dougall, who passed away after a two-year battle with cancer, has vowed to continue her daughter’s legacy by raising funds and awareness for the rare form of bone cancer.
By Callum McCormack
Published 4th Jan 2023, 15:16 BST
Updated 4th Jan 2023, 16:41 BST
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Michelle Falconer founded the Paige’s Musical Butterflies charity as a promise to her daughter, after the 17-year old passed away last January. She was diagnosed with Ewing Sarcoma in 2019.

With music at the heart of Paige’s story, including her work recording with Ella Henderson on the UK Top 40 single I’m Going Through Hell, music also plays a key part in the charity's aims.

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It aims to provide musical therapy and lessons to children as they navigate through their own cancer journeys.

Paige Dougall used music and music theray as a way of coping with her cancer diagnosisPaige Dougall used music and music theray as a way of coping with her cancer diagnosis
Paige Dougall used music and music theray as a way of coping with her cancer diagnosis

Michelle said: “We’re not quite there yet, and I don’t want to walk before we can run.”

“One of the things I think is missing is music therapy. It’s sometimes a struggle to communicate how they feel, so they hold it in, especially teenagers, or they lash out.

“That’s where Paige said she felt music therapy was a good thing."

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Paige’s Musical Butterflies was awarded charitable status in July and hit the ground running with its fundraising efforts. A group took part in the Kiltwalk just weeks after gaining official recognition.

The Class of 2022 at KHS paid tribute to their classmate and friend Paige Dougall with their leavers mural outside the school library in April.The Class of 2022 at KHS paid tribute to their classmate and friend Paige Dougall with their leavers mural outside the school library in April.
The Class of 2022 at KHS paid tribute to their classmate and friend Paige Dougall with their leavers mural outside the school library in April.

Michelle said: “We managed to sort out a team within two weeks and we ended up raising £2500 which was amazing”.

Paige’s 18th birthday was also marked in August with a fundraising party. The event raised a total of £1825.80 and was kept in the spirit of Paige with karaoke at the centre of proceedings, something Michelle said she “would have wanted” – although she might have preferred he mum to avoid the microphone!

She explained: “She always used to say ‘mum, you need to get those vocals sorted!’.”

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Michelle said there are already plans in place for how the charity will fundraise in 2023. A group of fundraisers took part in the Loony Dook at Kinghorn earlier this week, and there will be a charity football match in Michelle’s hometown of Dysart later in the year.

The first event will be a bucket collection ahead of Raith Rovers’ SPFL Championship match with Dundee on Friday (December 6).

Related topics:FifeKiltwalk