Chris Lucas Memorial Fund
661. Lynn Lucas
A dedicated mother from Tyneside is fighting to find a cure for a rare form of cancer in memory of her son.
Lynn Lucas’s son, Chris, passed away in 2000 from a rare form of sarcoma. In his memory Lynn set up the Chris Lucas Memorial Fund to fund research into a cure. With the help of the doctor who treated Chris, Lynn identified the Institute for Cancer Research as the most effective recipient of their help. To date the charity has raised over £2m from fundraising events such as their annual Great North Bike Ride, and these funds directly support the work of two senior researchers at the Institute.
In a personal letter to Lynn, Prime Minister Theresa May said:
Your fundraising efforts are making a vital contribution to research into Sarcoma. Your important work through the Chris Lucas Memorial Fund is a wonderful tribute to the memory of your son.
Lynn said:
I am shocked and honoured to have been chosen for this award. I want to share this with my husband as this has become our life, both during Christopher’s illness and since his death. We have worked together to raise enough funds to pay the salaries of two scientific medical researchers based at ICR London for over 12 years. This award will help lift the profile of our charity and will help to create more awareness of the condition, as we are the only charity doing this for Rhabdomyosarcoma (a rare and aggressive childhood cancer).