‘We’re all mums to an angel’: Five mothers who became close friends after losing their children to brain tumours complete a joint skydive after meeting in a Facebook support group
- All of their children were diagnosed with different types of brain tumours
- Read More: Mum reveals eye appointment spotted her 13-year-old’s tumour
Five mums who became close friends after losing children to brain tumours have jumped out of a plane together.
Louise Fox, 49, from Barton-le-Clay in Bedfordshire, 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, from Woburn Sands, Milton Keynes, Nikki Treharne, 52, from Sandhurst, Berkshire, Clair Todd, 48, from Blyth, Northumberland and Katie Dove, 46, from Worth, Kent.
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.
Five mums who became close friends after losing children to brain tumours have jumped out of a plane together (L-R: Clair Todd, Louise Fox, Nelly Crick, Niki O’Dea Patel, Natasha Taylor, Imogen Gaskell, Rebecca Gaskell, Nikki Treharne and Katie Dove)
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 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 Fox, 49, from Barton-le-Clay in Bedfordshire, began making online contact with other mums caring for kids with tumours after son George was diagnosed with glioblastoma, aged 13
Their jump raised £70,700 for brain cancer charity Tessa Jowell Foundation
Imogen Gaskell who is Grace’s sister and Katie Dove, who is Evie’s mum also jumped out of a plane
All the mums after their skydive (L to R: Nelly Crick, Clair Todd, Nikki Treharne, Nath, Louise Fox, Nikki O’Dea Patel, Imogen Gaskell, Katie Dove , Rebecca Gaskell)
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 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, battled a glioblastoma brain tumour for two years before he passed away in November 2021.
Katie Dove 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 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.’
Rebecca Gaskell who is Grace’s mum and Louise Fox who is George’s mum beamed for a selfie
Niki O’Dea Patel who is mum to Shay who was diagnosed with a tumour in 2018 after a seizure
Rebecca Gaskell, 48, from Rickmansworth, Buckinghamshire, (left) whose daughter Grace, battled the same tumour for two years and died aged 14 in November 2020
The skydive was held on on 14 October 2023 at Sibson Airfield, Peterborough, and the mum said they felt ‘closer’ to their kids ‘in heaven’
Katie Dove 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
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.
Rebecca Gaskell, 48, from Rickmansworth, Buckinghamshire, whose daughter Grace, battled the same tumour for two years and died aged 14 in November 2020.
Natasha Taylor, 29, from Luton, Bedfordshire, whose only child Renai, 11, died from a diffuse midline gliomas tumour, joined the friendship group.
Nelly Crick, 32, from Elmswell, Suffolk, lost her youngest son, Harry, in October 2021, aged two.
She said: ‘Life has never been the same and I wouldn’t wish it on anyone.’
All the mums at the airfield L-R: (Clair Todd, Louise Fox, Nelly Crick, Niki O’Dea Patel, Natasha Taylor, Imogen Gaskell, Rebecca Gaskell, Nikki Treharne and Katie Dove)
Katie Dove (Evie’s mum) and Louise Fox (George’s mum) enjoy a glass of prosecco after their skydive
Clair Todd joined the group after her son Connor, 15, died from a medulloblastoma brain tumour in October 2021
Nelly’s husband Matt, 35, Rebecca’s daughter Imogen, 18, and Natasha’s partner Nath, 30, jumped in their place.
The skydive was held on on 14 October 2023 at Sibson Airfield, Peterborough, and the mum said they felt ‘closer’ to their kids ‘in heaven’.
Pascale Harvie, president and general manager at JustGiving applauded the mums.
He said: ‘I’m inspired by the Angel Mums and how they’ve channeled their pain into raising awareness and vital funds to help other children, in memory of their own.
‘We’ve seen an outpour of admiration and love for the Angel Mums on JustGiving – Congratulations Angel Mums, you are extraordinary.’
To donate visit www.justgiving.com/page/angelmums
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