The winners of our festive card contest are revealed… now YOU can buy them to help sick kids this Christmas

HUNDREDS of young Sun on Sunday readers got arty in our great Christmas Cards For Kids contest – and today we reveal the winners.

Their festive pictures have been turned into limited-edition Christmas cards, and the proceeds from sales will go towards buying presents for young cancer patients staying in hospitals.

An average of 1,800 young ­people are ­diagnosed with cancer every year in the UK — and they spend weeks, months or even years on wards.

That’s why we teamed up with the charity Children with Cancer UK and asked our readers’ sons and daughters to get painting and drawing.

Now the winners’ cards are available on The Entertainer ­website — thetoyshop.com — as well as in its stores — and we want YOU to buy them so we can deliver presents to sick kids throughout the country.

Our youngest winner, five-year-old Veronica Hon, painted a ­picture of Father Christmas to cheer up other children.

Veronica, from Cheam, South London, said: “Christmas should be the best day ever for everyone — especially those who are sick.

“Last year, I got very ill and I had to go to hospital. I made lots of friends but some days I felt sad.

“I was so happy to come home.

“I wanted to do something to help other children. I love to paint and I love doing art at school. I hope that people who see my ­picture will have big smiles on their faces, just like the one on my card.”

Kevin Kovacs’ beautiful drawing of a winter scene with a snowman was admired by all the judges — including former presenter Angellica Bell.

The seven-year-old, from Wellington, Somerset, said: “I entered the competition after my mum asked me to draw something for ­children with cancer.

“I love to paint every day and I love Christmas, so this seemed like a good way to help.

“I hope my drawing helps buy lots of nice presents for the sick children, that they will be able to see Santa and that they will have a wonderful Christmas.”

Eloise Norman, 13, from Bexley, Kent, won in the older children category with her ­charming picture of a snowman.

She said: “Christmas is my favourite time of year. It’s always been so special in my family.

“The idea that some children are in hospital, separated from their families, at such a special time absolutely breaks my heart.

“The Sun on Sunday’s Christmas Cards For Kids competition gave me a chance to let those children know we will all be thinking of them this year and, hopefully, play a small part in raising some money to make the ­season as special as it can be.”

Proceeds from the cards will go towards buying presents with the help of our partner Children with Cancer UK.

CEO Jo Elvin said the charity is “thrilled” to be part of the campaign.

She added: “The funds raised from the sales will go directly towards buying toys for young cancer patients in ­hospital this December so I would urge everyone to buy some. You are helping to create a ­special Christmas memory for extraordinary children.”

And David Westman, from The ­Entertainer, said how glad the toy retailer is to have the cards on sale.

He added: “We’re pleased to be partnered with The Sun on Sunday. It’s fantastic to finally see the cards in stores and online, and we hope our customers will enjoy shopping for the three winning designs.”

Help little Florence

LITTLE Florence Bark was in hospital when she received a present and a visit from Santa after seven months of gruelling treatment for leukaemia.

She was one of hundreds of children to receive gifts after Sun on Sunday readers bought Christmas cards ­created by last year’s contest winners.

Florence, seven, was at Sheffield Children’s Hospital when Santa ­delivered her gift last December.

Smiling, she remembers: “He was so nice. He gave me a toy and I sat on his knee. It was a very special day.”

Florence is now cancer-free but needs a lung transplant.

She had a bone-marrow transplant last August after being diagnosed with acute myeloid leukaemia in May – but it sparked Graft-vs-Host Disease and damaged her lungs, which are now at just 30-per-cent capacity.

Her dad Andy, 35, an education ­consultant, said: “She can barely walk from the living room to the kitchen without getting out of breath.

"She is taking steroids, but they make her bones weak, and the dose is so high her immune system is low.”

Her mum Stacey, 33 – who also has son Freddie, ten, with Andy – quit her job to care for Florence.

She said: “I can’t thank the Sun on Sunday enough. It’s really important that people get behind the campaign.”

• THE BARKS ARE RAISING MONEY FOR SIMILAR FAMILIES. SEE BEMOREFAB.CO.UK OR INSTAGRAM.COM/BEMOREFAB__