Katharine Wootton The late Jane Tomlinson CBE is a figure of admiration well known around our county for her astonishing determination and commitment to fundraising for children’s and cancer charities. Having raised £1.85 million by the time of her death through gruelling physical challenges including a 3,800 mile cycle across America, Jane’s drive to beat cancer lives on through the Jane Tomlinson Appeal and the 10k Run for All set up in her memory.
Now, two York mums, who have established a new cancer charity Parents with Cancer, are to take part in the Jane Tomlinson 10k Run in York next month to raise funds and awareness for their cancer cause.
Diana Hodgson and Carol Lillingston set up the Parents with Cancer charity following their own battle with cancer in which they became aware of the enormous difficulties involved in coping with the disease whilst simultaneously trying to raise a child. ‘Parents with Cancer’ seeks to provide financial help to parents to pay for some or all of the costs of childcare whilst undergoing treatment or in recovery for cancer or leukaemia.
One of the charities founders, Diana Hodgson, who underwent a bone marrow transplant for Chronic Myeloid Leukaemia in early 2011, said: “I set up Parents with Cancer to help local parents with the cost of their childcare during their treatment and recovery, for the days after chemo when you can barely move, for extended hospital visits where taking young children adds to the already complicated and stressful day, or for those who have entered in to palliative care it can give them a day to set their affairs in order to know their families will be taken care of once they have gone.”
The grants provided by the charity can help soften the huge dent cancer can leave in the lives of families not just emotionally but also financially. It is hoped that the funding help could allow the partners of cancer sufferers to continue in work as well as providing solace to single parent families.
The Jane Tomlinson 10k run is taking place in York on 5 August and is one of three runs of its kind in Yorkshire, the other two being in Hull and Leeds. The 10k run in memory of the Yorkshire icon first took place in Leeds in 2007 and has since been a vehicle through which to continue raising money both for the Jane Tomlinson Appeal and for all charities who foster Jane’s vision of helping those suffering from cancer and leukaemia.
To pledge a donation to Parents with Cancer and help them reach their £1,000 target for the run visit their fundraising page here.
