The Jane Tomlinson Appeal was established by the late Jane Tomlinson CBE to raise funds for children's and cancer charities.
Sparks
www.sparks.org.uk
Registered Charity No. 1003825
Sparks is dedicated to funding cutting edge paediatric medical research. Its mission: To help all babies to be born healthy and stay healthy. Childhood cancers, juvenile arthritis, meningitis, cerebral palsy, muscular dystrophy and the dangers associated with premature birth are just a few areas where pioneering research funded by Sparks is making a real difference.
A considerable slice of the money raised for Sparks by Jane's Appeal has gone into Sparks research around the country into the childhood cancer, neuroblastoma. Tragically, neuroblastoma is a relatively unknown form of childhood cancer compared to, say, leukaemia. Yet neuroblastoma kills almost as many children and is the biggest single cancer killer of babies and the Under 5's. As an NHS radiographer, Jane would have known and been involved in the treatment of neuroblastoma children.
Neuroblastoma is a cancer of abnormally developed nerve cells. In the UK 100 children a year are diagnosed with the disease and the average age of those diagnosed is just 17months. By the time it is diagnosed it has already spread to other vital organs among 70 per cent of affected children. It is also a cancer that is very resistant to the intensive chemotherapy that has helped reduce fatality levels among other childhood cancers.
The money Jane's legacy continues to generate for Sparks will go towards George's Appeal-a major fundraising appeal by Sparks to raise £2million in memory of neuroblastoma victim George Yeomans. Like the Tomlinsons, the Yeoman family-including George himself until his death aged 9-worked tremendously hard to support Sparks and our research mission. Mike Tomlinson and Jane's son Steven met George's parents at last year's Sparks Tribute Gala. Sadly, Steven was there to collect one Child of Courage award for the way he's helping keep his mum's charity legacy alive, while the Yeomans were there to collect a posthumous one on behalf of George.
"Jane Tomlinson was much more than our biggest-ever individual fundraiser and an inspirational vice-president. She also massively raised the profile of a relatively small charity by dint of the awareness of Sparks that came with the huge media attention that surrounded Jane's heroic efforts. It's fair to say that the rapid growth Sparks has enjoyed in recent years owes a lot to Jane Tomlinson.
"The money raised for Sparks through our partnership with The Jane Tomlinson Appeal has made an impact in so many ways. It has helped children with cancer, particularly neuroblastoma where Sparks is at the forefront of cutting edge research."
Paul Connew, Sparks Director of Communications.
