Funeral held for cancer-stricken girl who set 300,000 birthday card record

By Ed Chatterton and Mankirat Kaur

Hundreds of bikers turned out for the funeral of a little girl who died from cancer while mourners lined the streets performing the Macarena in a celebration of her life.

Amelia Kolpa captured hearts across the world after receiving a record-breaking 304,000 birthday cards while battling stage-4 high-risk neuroblastoma.

She passed away surrounded by family and friends on March 17 - just two weeks after turning 8-years-old.

Crowds of riders and well-wishers lined the streets from around 11.30 a.m., Wednesday meeting outside Lockside Steakhouse, in Stourbridge, West Mids., to honor the tragic youngster.

Bikers, many wearing leather jackets, revved their engines in tribute, while music played, including The Macarena, her favorite song, in a heartfelt effort to honor her life.

Family, friends and members of the local community, dressed in bright colours at the family's request, turned out to be a part of the funeral convoy which led her from her home in Rowley Regis to Waseley Hills Crematorium.

Speaking ahead of the funeral, Amelia's aunt Charmaine Grace said: "The response we had and continue to have from everybody has been really overwhelming and we just wanted to give her the brilliant farewell she deserved.

"Her legacy will always live on. She was a very special girl."

Her mom Katarzyna Bartczak wrote a heartbreaking post on Facebook before the service saying: "My dearest daughter,

"You lie at home now… so quietly, so peacefully… as if you were only asleep. I look at you and my whole heart is screaming for you to wake up… to look at me one more time, to hold me one more time, to say “mommy” just once more…

"You are wearing your beautiful dress. In your tiny hands, you hold Miss Rabbit – just like you always did when you needed comfort and safety.

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"And I stand beside you, helpless… able to do nothing but look at you and love you more deeply than ever before.

"Today is your day, my precious… the hardest day of my life.

"The day I have to let you go… even though every part of me is begging to keep you here.

"The whole world that you touched and filled with love will be with you today… walking beside you on this final journey here on earth.

"But I know… I feel it with all my heart… this is not the end.

"Where you are now, there is no pain, no fear, no tears.

"You are surrounded by light… and your pure, beautiful heart will continue to bring goodness – just in a place I cannot reach yet."

To celebrate her eighth birthday this year, while under palliative care, the youngster said she wanted to try and break the world record for the most birthday cards ever received.

She had been hoping to get around 8,000 cards but smashed her target after being sent more than 300,000 by well-wishers from all over the world.

An online appeal by her family had encouraged people to drop off cards at three locations in her local area but within the days the campaign went viral.

Mom Katarzyna was left stunned after the family also started getting cards from across the globe, including Canada, Australia, New Zealand and the USA.

Matt Lemm, who helped to organise the collection, told the BBC: "The reason so many people took interest was that the initial request was so humbling.

"It was birthday cards that she initially wanted, it wasn't Disneyland or Ferraris or anything like that, it was birthday cards that you get your hands on for a few pence."