A Suffolk mum has been nominated for fundraiser of the year after raising nearly £300,000 in memory of her daughter who she lost to brain cancer at just nine years old.
Lizzie Bramall, from Nayland, died in her parents’ arms just a week before her 10th birthday in November 2018, after being diagnosed with an inoperable brain tumour in February.Following the diagnosis, brave Lizzie decided to use her last months fundraising for vital research into brain cancer and her mother Sally has continued this work in her memory.“We raised over £5,000 at that first bake sale at Littlegarth School,” Sally recalled. “Lizzie was on a medical trial at that stage funded in part by the Brain Tumour Charity, so from early on she understood the importance of research and the funding it needs.“That showed me how much passion there was from children and parents because every mum thinks thank God it’s not my child, but it’s someone else’s.”Lizzie’s Fund has now raised £293,401.77 and parents Sally and Mark have organised numerous events, as they said they felt they “had to do something positive in her memory”.
Lizzie’s baking recipe book which she wrote throughout her illness has sold nearly 2,000 copies now and Sally added: “When people bake from her book it is more than the money, it’s just a lovely feeling.
“Is it hard to talk about it? Yes. I wish with all my heart it was somebody else could do this not me. But it did happen to me and I have to do it for the research.”
Nominated alongside five others for the Institute of Fundraising (IoF) award, Sally still works for Ipswich firm Willis Towers Watson while the other nominees are professional fundraisers.
She said: “It is really amazing to be nominated alongside these people. The charity felt as a group we have done so many different things and they had picked up good momentum.”
The winner of the IoF award will be announced on Friday May 29 and Geraldine Pipping, director of fundraising for the Brain Tumour Charity, said: “Sally continues to be a beacon of support and inspiration to our community, carrying on Lizzie’s determination to help others.
“This nomination reflects our community-wide appreciation of all the efforts to raise awareness and vital funds that people continue to do for Lizzie’s Fund.”
MORE: Nadiya Husain and Noel Edmonds contribute to Lizzie’s baking recipe book
Brain tumour symptoms in children, from the Brain Tumour Charity
• Headaches: Persistent headaches, particularly on waking, can be a brain tumour symptom.
• Changes in vision: Brain tumours can cause abnormal eye movements, blurred or double vision.
• Nausea and vomiting: Persistent vomiting/feelings of nausea (over a two week period) can be a sign of a brain tumour.
• Balance problems: A loss or reduction in motor skills could be a sign of a serious illness, including a brain tumour.
• Seizures: Fits or seizures can have a variety of causes but should be viewed as a potentially serious symptom.
• Behaviour changes: Behaviour changes due to a brain tumour are likely to happen often and across different settings.
• Abnormal head position: It’s important to take your child to their GP if they have a problem with their neck.
• Delayed puberty: When a child starts puberty can vary greatly, find out when to be concerned.
• Abnormal growth: If your baby, child or teenager’s growth stops or is delayed this can be a sign of a brain tumour.
• Excessive thirst: Excessive thirst and increased urination can be a sign of diabetes mellitus or insipidus.
• Reduced consciousness: Reduced consciousness could be caused by a serious illness, including a brain tumour.
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