My daughter Rebecca died in 2007 from a brain tumour following a terrific and brave battle. To lose a child is entirely the wrong way round and certainly changed us. I now support two charities.

(Please click the logo to see their websites)

• 
  
  

  The Alexander Devine Children’s Hospice Service has built a hospice for young people with life limiting disease in my home town and its mission is to give families the time and space they need to make important family memories and to come to terms with with the inevitable loss of a precious child. We were fortunate that we were allowed to have Rebecca at home right to the end and afterwards – in my opinion one of the greatest gifts that you can give any terminally ill human being. Some families are not able to do that and the hospice fills that huge gap with dedicated medical care and a huge amount of compassion. The link will take you to their website which explains their wonderful work which was inspired by the loss of Alexander – his mother Fiona Devine is a hero for what she is achieving.
  
  
  
  

• 
  
  

  For Rebecca one of the most awful things about her illness was the total loss of her hair. It caused much distress and she had a wig made for her by the truly wonderful Richard Mawby who is a theatrical wig maker and an extraordinary person. We understand the terrible toll and embarrassment that hair loss can cause and so I also support The Little Princess Trust which makes wigs for children who have lost their hair for any reason including cancer. Several people I know (including my gorgeous God-daughter Misha, my daughter’s best friend Lizzie, myself and my younger daughter Charlotte) have grown their hair specifically to have it cut to donate to the charity – much long hair ends up on the floor in the hairdressers which is such a waste when it can be put to such good use. A well made wig means the world to a child who is suffering the ravages of chemotherapy which is vicious and targets good cells as well as bad.