This month we are delighted to be supporting Sparks Children’s Medical Research.
One in three children with a rare condition won’t live to celebrate their fifth birthday.
Sparks’ child health research can save their lives. For critically ill children, there’s no time to lose.
Meet Ethan, pictured above blowing out his birthday candles.
After Ethan was starved of oxygen at birth, it was a Sparks-funded research innovation – cooling treatment – that saved his life. The impact of this treatment inspired Ethan’s dad and grandad, Chris and Phil, to fundraise for Sparks to help more children like Ethan.
“We need research like that, funded by Sparks, to help clinicians better diagnose, treat and cure the most complex of conditions, giving families like ours hope.” – Ethan’s dad, Chris.
Children deserve the best possible healthcare. While healthcare has improved dramatically in the last 50 years, there are still no treatments or cures for many children with rare and complex conditions. The only way we can help them is through research.
Since 1991, Sparks has funded over £30 million of research into over 80 childhood conditions. These include childhood cancers, epilepsy, spina bifida, Crohn’s disease, Down’s syndrome, Krabbe disease, cerebral palsy and the risks associated with premature birth.
Child health research is severely underfunded – just 5% of what the public and charities spend on research, funds medical research for children. Sparks don’t receive any government funding so are completely dependent on the donations and fundraising efforts of their generous supporters.
With your help, Sparks can fund life-changing treatments that will help children in the UK like Ethan who have rare and complex conditions. For critically ill children like Ethan, there’s no time to lose.
