Charities

Christopher Clarke Cancer Research Fund

Brain tumours take more young lives than any other cancer. Help fight this devastating disease.

The Christopher Clarke Cancer Research Fund was founded in March 2006 by Karen Clarke and supported by her husband Noel following the devastating loss of their 18-year-old son Christopher to a brain tumour.

Christopher was a happy, popular young boy looking forward to the future, busily enjoying his first year at college studying for his A-levels. Then in June 2005 he was diagnosed with an aggressive brain tumour, and as a result of limited available treatment, he died just 7 months later. Horrified by the lack of research and improvement in the treatment of brain tumours due to lack of funding, Karen and Noel Clarke decided to do something about it themselves and founded the CCCRF.

In 2007 the charity gained momentum following the heartbreaking death of Ross Cooper from the same disease. Ross was a normal 25-year-old. He was bright, kind and fun. He enjoyed a lot of sport, had never smoked and lived a healthy lifestyle. His family also became a prodigious force, raising funds for much needed research into brain tumours.
These are just 2 families directly affected by brain tumours. Two families left wondering what marked out their precious sons for the cruel disease. These are just two devastating stories too many.

Brain tumours account for 40% of cancer deaths in children- now surpassing lymphablastic leukaemia. Brain tumours are also the leading cause of death in males aged 20-29.
Despite these shocking facts, funding for research into brain tumours in negligible.
There’s great need for better understanding of what causes them, how the brain reacts to them and how they behave- and an even greater need for better and more effective treatments.

A few years ago, prostate and testicular cancer suffered from the same lack of awareness and funding. But with increased resources, support and awareness, treatment success rates are constantly improving. It’s now vital that the same pioneering and class-leading work is committed to stamping out brain tumours.

Please help give brain tumours the all clear

The charity is committed to raising awareness of brain tumours, especially in young people and to fund a dedicated research post at The Christie Hospital to examine the causes and treatment of brain tumours.

If the CCCRF can raise £100,000 each year they can help fund a post at both Christie and Hope hospitals and get a dedicated research programme underway. Every penny makes a real difference…

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The following was written by Christopher’s mum.

Christopher George Clarke : 21.10.87 – 16.01.06

Not everybody knew Chris Clarke (Clarkey) a local boy from Bury, but everybody by now knows what happened to him - he became ill in May 2005, complaining of headaches whilst on study leave for his exams.

He was 17 years old. He seemed to have a headache constantly for two weeks. The cause of his headache was not known at the time.

In June 2005, because of the persistence of the problem, Christopher was seen by a Neuro-Surgeon and a brain scan was arranged. This showed that he had a brain tumour in the right temporal region, resulting in his severe headaches. He underwent urgent brain surgery and subsequently it was discovered that the tumour was malignant.

Over the course of the next six months he went on to have intensive therapy, with two further brain operations, followed swiftly by radiotherapy and chemotherapy. None of these treatments halted the course of his disease significantly.

Chris was a thoroughly happy and normal boy and what happened was both tragic and unfair. However, we are certain that Chris is looking down upon us all, with that huge smile that we loved so well.

We can also be sure that he would not have wanted us to be sad and if he was here now he would probably tell us all to take a deep breath and to get on with living (to the full as he always did!)

Throughout Christopher’s short but rapidly progressive illness he maintained a sense of humour and an indefatigable fighting spirit, which we will never forget. He died on January 16th, 2006 at the tender age of 18.

It is important that we remember him as he was; warm, bright and funny and look at his life rather than his death.

As a result of this, we want to make something good come from Chris's life. Some of you already know that I (mum) have set up a research fund for our son, brother and your friend to help find causes and improve treatment for the disease which so affected him and is still affecting others.

We all feel that it is crucial that research is done to prevent more young people from having to suffer in such an undeserved way.
The Christopher Clarke Cancer Research Fund has been founded for this purpose and is progressing well so far.

This initiative has only just begun but with your help, it will grow in to an important fund, enabling new and badly needed research programmes to begin. At present, this disease is incurable in most young people but despite this, the understanding of its cause is very poor and there is little research ongoing.

Remember, this was the situation in the 1970’s with testicular cancer, then a killer of young men like Christopher, and now, with the benefit of ground-breaking research, this disease is curable in the vast majority. With research and a bit of luck, this success story could be repeated with brain cancers.

All ideas and contributions have been gratefully received and we can only hope this will continue for many years, so that Christopher's death will not just be a senseless waste of a well loved life; but a catalyst for good and a help and inspiration for others.

We would like to thank everybody for their help and support it has proved vital in helping us with this loss and we are available to anybody who has a fundraising idea or who would like to get in touch. Thanks to everyone who cared for Chris and lets hope we can keep it going and do Chris justice.

Karen Clarke.

Please visit this website for more information. Thank you.

Britain-Nepal Medical Trust
 
BNMT aims to assist the people of Nepal to improve their health through the realisation of their health rights
It does this by working with the Ministry of Health, international and local non-governmental organisations, local committees and communities to:
- Empower disadvantaged people to obtain improved access to health services and resources
- Strengthen the capacity of local health institutions to respond
- Develop approaches that can be advocated and replicated by others
- Ensure sustainability of programmes and outcomes
 
Since 2003 BNMT has identified and worked with 107 clusters of disadvantaged communities in 8 districts of Eastern Nepal. Its approach has been participatory and empowering with adults, youths and children in these communities to generate better realisation of health rights. In so doing, BNMT has engaged other local NGOs to implement local aspirations. These include income generation, improved access to clean water and sanitation and safer motherhood. At the same time, BNMT seeks to make local health care more accessible and responsive and advocates for improvements at regional and national levels.
 
£ 10 - trains a female community health volunteer.
£ 20 - saves the lives of 100 children with acute respiratory infection
£ 35 - cures a patient of TB
£ 100 - buys 40 packets of clean home delivery kits to protect mothers and babies from infection.
£ 500 - would educate and mobilise 30 young people in the fight against HIV/AIDS
£ 5000 - builds a primary health care centre to provide basic health services for rural communities