A teenager has recorded a heartfelt song this Christmas for her dad who is battling against cancer.

Aaliyah Hibbert, 13, from Addiscombe, wrote the song after her dad Walter was diagnosed with an advanced form of bowel cancer.

The Shirley High School pupil hopes to raise money from the song which will go towards the Royal Marsden Hospital where her dad is treated.

The specialist cancer hospital based in Sutton said they will sell copies of the song, Little Love, at the hospital to help boost sales.

Aaliyah, who is signed with record label Baby Girl Music, based the song around the bond with her dad and the feelings she was going through when she was told he was ill.

The singer said her dad cried when he first heard the song.

She has a singing pedigree after getting to the finals of the TeenStar singing competition earlier on this year which was won by X factor finalist Luke Friend.

Her mother, Sam Carnegie, said it has been a tough year for her daughter who also had to deal with her granddad and uncle dying.

Ms Carnegie now spends a lot of time looking after her partner.Mr Hibbert started chemotherapy in October but has only been able to see through one course due to infections.

The family have hoped for some good news about Walter’s recovery this festive period.

Aaliyah said: "I like writing songs and remember wanting to write one about my dad as when I found out I just wanted to write my emotions in a song.

"The song is about my bond with my dad and about everything we have gone through really. It has been a difficult year really.

"Recording the song did help in the sense it expressed how I was feeling.

"The first time my dad heard it he started to cry but he really likes it. My family have been really supportive as well as my producer Alex Parkman."

A spokesman for The Royal Marsden said: “This is a lovely gesture by Aaliyah and we are delighted she has not only written the song for her father but that she also wants to raise money for The Royal Marsden Cancer Charity which supports the work of The Royal Marsden hospital.

"We wish Aaliyah all the very best with her song – we are sure it will be a great success.”

LISTEN TO 'LITTLE LOVE'

 

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