Five mums whose children died from brain tumours jumped out of plane together
SWNS
2023-11-08
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Five mums who became close friends after losing children to brain tumours have jumped out of a plane together.
Louise Fox, 49, began making online contact with other mums caring for kids with tumours after son George was diagnosed with glioblastoma, aged 13.
During his treatment, Louise met Niki O’Dea Patel, 42, Nikki Treharne, 52, Clair Todd, 48, and Katie Dove, 46.
All of their children were diagnosed with different types of brain tumours, and met on various Facebook pages.
The mums would chat regularly on WhatsApp, exchanging treatment options and supporting each other, alongside three other mums in the same position.
All eight of their children died between 2020 and 2022, and the mums formed a strong friendship to help one another through their grief.
They created the page Forever Mums of Brain Tumour Angels and finally all met in person minutes before five of them jumped out a plane art 13,000ft.
Their jump raised £70,700 for brain cancer charity Tessa Jowell Foundation.
Louise, from Barton-le-Clay in Bedfordshire, said: “We’re all mums to an angel and the skydive helped us feel closer to them.
"Losing George was indescribable.
“I came up with the idea for the jump.
“I’m absolutely petrified of heights but I really wanted to push our boundaries.
“No one else know what it’s like to go through and we’re all part of the same club that no mum wants to be in.
"It was incredible and so emotional when we all met.
"I feel so connected to these mums through our journeys and grief - it was a very special day."
Louise's son George was 13 when he died from a brain tumour in April 2022, after surgeries, chemotherapy, and radiotherapy.
While he was receiving treatment, Louise met Niki O'Dea Patel on Facebook, whose eldest son Shay, 13, was diagnosed with same type of tumour in 2018 a seizure.
Niki, from Woburn Sands, Milton Keynes, said: "We were fortunate we got 22 months. He passed in September 2020, but it's not good enough.
"Louise and I became really close as our sons were the same age.
"I started a charity in his name - Shay's Smile - and we've managed to raise over £250,000 for research."
Nikki Treharne's son Ethan, 17, from Sandhurst, Berkshire, battled a glioblastoma brain tumour for two years before he passed away in November 2021.
Katie Dove, from Worth, Kent, started a charity - the Evie Dove Foundation - after her 13-year-old daughter Evie was diagnosed with CMMRD, a gene mutation that makes children predisposed to developing brain tumours.
Evie died 11 months later in April 2021.
Clair Todd, from Blyth, Northumberland, joined the group after her son Connor, 15, died from a medulloblastoma brain tumour in October 2021.
She said: "Louise bought us together on this Facebook group and we've helped each other get through the most difficult times."
Three other mums in their group came on the day to meet the rest of the group for the first time, but couldn't jump for health reasons.
Louise Fox, 49, began making online contact with other mums caring for kids with tumours after son George was diagnosed with glioblastoma, aged 13.
During his treatment, Louise met Niki O’Dea Patel, 42, Nikki Treharne, 52, Clair Todd, 48, and Katie Dove, 46.
All of their children were diagnosed with different types of brain tumours, and met on various Facebook pages.
The mums would chat regularly on WhatsApp, exchanging treatment options and supporting each other, alongside three other mums in the same position.
All eight of their children died between 2020 and 2022, and the mums formed a strong friendship to help one another through their grief.
They created the page Forever Mums of Brain Tumour Angels and finally all met in person minutes before five of them jumped out a plane art 13,000ft.
Their jump raised £70,700 for brain cancer charity Tessa Jowell Foundation.
Louise, from Barton-le-Clay in Bedfordshire, said: “We’re all mums to an angel and the skydive helped us feel closer to them.
"Losing George was indescribable.
“I came up with the idea for the jump.
“I’m absolutely petrified of heights but I really wanted to push our boundaries.
“No one else know what it’s like to go through and we’re all part of the same club that no mum wants to be in.
"It was incredible and so emotional when we all met.
"I feel so connected to these mums through our journeys and grief - it was a very special day."
Louise's son George was 13 when he died from a brain tumour in April 2022, after surgeries, chemotherapy, and radiotherapy.
While he was receiving treatment, Louise met Niki O'Dea Patel on Facebook, whose eldest son Shay, 13, was diagnosed with same type of tumour in 2018 a seizure.
Niki, from Woburn Sands, Milton Keynes, said: "We were fortunate we got 22 months. He passed in September 2020, but it's not good enough.
"Louise and I became really close as our sons were the same age.
"I started a charity in his name - Shay's Smile - and we've managed to raise over £250,000 for research."
Nikki Treharne's son Ethan, 17, from Sandhurst, Berkshire, battled a glioblastoma brain tumour for two years before he passed away in November 2021.
Katie Dove, from Worth, Kent, started a charity - the Evie Dove Foundation - after her 13-year-old daughter Evie was diagnosed with CMMRD, a gene mutation that makes children predisposed to developing brain tumours.
Evie died 11 months later in April 2021.
Clair Todd, from Blyth, Northumberland, joined the group after her son Connor, 15, died from a medulloblastoma brain tumour in October 2021.
She said: "Louise bought us together on this Facebook group and we've helped each other get through the most difficult times."
Three other mums in their group came on the day to meet the rest of the group for the first time, but couldn't jump for health reasons.
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