Here's a moving, inspirational story to kick off your week, which we would never have known about if one young boy hadn't decided to nominate his mum.
The prestigious Tesco Charitable Mum of the Year Award has been won by Sharon Sambrook from the West Midlands. Sharon has raised £90,000 for The Samantha Dickson Brain Tumour Trust Ben Sambrook Fund – an umbrella group she set up in her son’s name – to help fund clinical trials into brain tumours. She also works to support families whose children have been diagnosed with a serious illness or disability.
Sharon was nominated by son Ben who at twelve years old has already experienced more than many. Ben was diagnosed with a malignant brain tumour aged just seven. Sharon and her husband faced the trauma of caring for their son as he went through a six-hour operation to remove the tumour followed by radiotherapy and, due to the kind of tumour Ben had, adult chemotherapy which had to be administered at home by Sharon.
There is currently no cure for Ben’s type of tumour, but against the odds he has been clear for four years, and goes for regular scans to ensure the tumour has not returned. On nominating his mum for a Tesco Mum of the Year Award, Ben said:
“I survived the brain tumour with big thanks to my mum and dad. My mum just wants other parents to get support and not feel so alone.”
The staggering fact that brain tumours account for more deaths among children and those under the age of 40 than any other cancer propelled Sharon into action, making her determined to generate funds for research into brain tumours in the hope of a scientific breakthrough. Since 2007, Sharon has raised a staggering £90,000 through a continuous stream of events including themed charity balls, tribute nights, sponsored sporting events and tea parties.
The Tesco Mum of the Year Awards is now in its seventh year. The judging panel, including Michelle Mone OBE, Arlene Phillips OBE, Denise Lewis OBE, Emma Forbes, our very own Tara Cain and Tesco magazine representatives, reviewed thousands of entries before selecting the winning mums.
Sharon, along with seven other winners, will be presented with her Tesco Mum of the Year Award at a glittering star-studded ceremony in London in March 2012. Many congratulations to each and every one of them.
Visit Tesco Mum of the Year Awards for more information.
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