Today it is my absolute pleasure to share with you this article about a very special cause and a very special lady and her beautiful daughter....
Ellie's Fund - Brain Tumour Trust was set up after the death of 14 year old Ellie Othick-Bowmaker.
At just 11 years old, Scarborough girl Ellie was diagnosed with a grade 4 Glioblastoma, an aggressive brain tumour, and expected to live no more than 6 months. Ellie fought for 3 years, and during that time raised over £25 000, which she donated to charities close to her heart. She inspired many people to join in. Sadly, Ellie’s battle ended in February 2010.
We always knew that the fundraising would continue. It did almost straightaway, and a few months later Shaun Tymon and Tina Boden approached Ellie’s mum Heather and her husband Jason to offer their help. Tina, Jason and Shaun are now Trustees and Heather is Chair of the charity.
Ellie’s Fund - Brain Tumour Trust recognises that life is turned completely upside down when you or a family member is diagnosed with a brain tumour, and whilst we would like to offer a complete support package, we are only a small charity. We decided that our efforts would be best put to supporting the brain tumour research laboratory in Leeds; the Leeds Institute for Molecular Medicine, which was opened in February 2011, and to supporting children across Yorkshire and Humberside who are going through treatment for a brain tumour, as well as working to increase brain tumour awareness. If you would like to know more about what we do our website address is www.elliesfund.com
Since March 2010 Ellie’s Fund Brain Tumour Trust has raised over £110 000. From this we have sent grants to 31 children from across the whole of Yorkshire, including Scarborough, York, Malton, Kirkbymoorside, Harrogate, Leeds, Bradford & Sheffield, and have sent nearly £40 000 to the research lab and £2400 towards the cost of refurbishing the children's neurosurgical ward at Leeds General Infirmary.
If you’d like to help improve the outcomes for brain tumour patients by organising your own fund-raising events, we would very much appreciate your support, and you can find a helpful fund-raiser’s pack on our website. Thanks so much for helping us to make a difference.
Did you know that:
- Brain tumours are now the biggest cancer killer of children and people under 40 in the UK.
- There are 16 000 new cases diagnosed every year. Of these, 85% will succumb within 5 years of diagnosis
- Shockingly, 65% more women die from a brain tumour each year than from cervical cancer.
- Brain tumour research receives less than 1% (0.7%) of cancer research spending in the UK
- Adults and children who do survive are left with side effects that affect them for the rest of their lives.
‘We’, the brain tumour community, are asking MPs to discuss brain tumour funding in the House of Commons. There is a petition that you can sign to support us; started by the late Bill Tarmey aka Jack Duckworth from Coronation Street. His son has also been diagnosed with a brain tumour. We have until June 2013 to collect 100 000 signatures, and we might stand a chance of making a change to these statistics. So please do sign the petition and ask all your family and friends to as well. Thank you.
http://epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/35167
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