It’s a heartfelt gesture from two Hampshire teenagers who know the pain of a rare cardiac condition.

“Bionic babes” Danii-Marie John, 16, and her sister Laura, 13, want celebrities to sign up to a charity appeal by putting their autographs on the side of a pink camper van.

Their father David died suddenly in 1994 from a condition known as Long QT Syndrome.  He was 32 and seemed fit and healthy.

Both sisters have inherited the condition and were fitted with defibrillators to ensure that in the event of heart failure, they will receive a shock to “jump start” the heart.

Now they want to repay the charity CRY (Cardiac Risk in the Young) which supported them and helped them understand about their condition.

Danii and Laura, together with six-year-old half-sister Stephanie, have commandeered mum Julie’s Volkswagen camper van, had it sprayed bright pink, and are collecting celebrity autographs in red hearts which will be attached to the bus.

The challenge is to guess how many signed hearts they will have managed to collect before December 31.  Thanks to a family passion for Volkswagens, they will be taking the camper to a variety of Volkswagen shows and events across the country, selling tickets at £1 a time to guess the total.

The winner will receive a book containing all the autographs, while a duplicate book of autographs will be auctioned for CRY. 

Waterside Dub Club, a Volkswagen supporters club based at the Bridge Tavern, Holbury, is also organising a rally and ‘bug-tug’ at the pub on August 17, and local policeman Adrian Woodhead is helping to get a team together to push or pull the camper van across the New Forest, all in the cause of CRY.

Julie John is behind her daughters all the way – and is even doing her own special bit of fundraising when she re-marries in September at Fawley Church on the Waterside.

Julie and her new husband Gary will be using their honeymoon to take the van from Land’s End to John O’Groats and back, hopefully in nine days, collecting as many Dub Club stickers and CRY charity boxes as possible en route.  Now the heat is on to get as many celebrity autographs as possible.

“We had a nice letter from Cliff Richard’s secretary to say he is abroad at the moment but that he will make a donation,” said Julie.

“We hope he will also give us his autograph.  We have also written to Sir Elton John, Michael Jackson, and the casts of all the soaps, as well as Steve Redgrave, who is the patron of CRY.

“We would love to hear from any celebrities living in the New Forest who would be willing to sign a heart.”

Danii, a student at Totton College, and Laura, a Noadswood School pupil, are looking forward to their busy year, and are grateful for the help they have received.

Businesses have rallied around, supplying paint, posters, the logo and hearts and warm clothing, respraying the van, and helping keep the van on the road.

Julie’s employers, Waterside Ponds Accessories, have allowed her extra time off to help.

“We have had tremendous support so far,” said Danii.

The girls are looking for help with the supply of thin permanent marker pens for the heart autographs.  To offer sponsorship, of if celebs would like to sign a heart, call Julie.

Follow their progress http://bionicbabesontour.homestead.com