A heartbroken nine-year-old relative of Wanted popstar Tom Parker has launched a fundraising appeal in the hope of finding a cure for the cancer that killed him. Schoolgirl Rosie Parker was "inspired" by the strength of the singer she called 'Uncle Tom' in his 18-month health battle before he passed away in March last year at the age of just 33.
Dad-of-two Tom had been diagnosed with an aggressive form of brain cancer, called glioblastoma, in October 2020. His death inspired schoolgirl Rosie, who is the daughter of Tom's cousin Leanne Parker, to help continue "Uncle Tom's" legacy.
And now the nine-year-old has organised a 5km charity bike ride in memory of her ‘uncle Tom’ - to raise money for Brain Tumour Research. Her proud mum Leanne Parker, 38, who is the singer’s cousin, said: “Rosie was incredibly upset when Tom died, we all were but she was inspired by his strength.
“I remember shortly after he died she said to me ‘we need to be strong like Tom, we need to be positive Parkers’, something he always use to say.” The youngster is hoping to hit her goal of £2,740, the equivalent to the amount it costs to fund a day of research at one of Brain Tumour Research’s Centres of Excellence.
Tom was supported by the charity throughout his diagnosis. On December 7 last year, he opened the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Brain Tumours (APPGBT).
Rosie's event is sponsored by a branch of Halfords in Oldbury, West Midlands. It will see riders from the age of nine to 59 taking part, including her Gan Gan (grandad), Chris Woodward.
Leanne added: “As a family we were shocked at the lack of treatment options into this disease. We would search for hours on end online, hoping to find an answer and save Tom, but there was so little that could help.
Rosie and I hope that by sharing our story and taking part in fundraising events, we can prevent this from happening to other families.”
One in three people know someone affected by a brain tumour, and they kill more children and adults under the age of 40 than any other cancer. But historically, just one per cent of the national spend on cancer research has been allocated to brain tumours.
Mel Tiley, community, development manager at Brain Tumour Research, said: “Rosie certainly is following in the steps of her ‘Uncle Tom’ and has already raised an incredible amount of money. This will support Brain Tumour Research’s mission in finding a cure and better treatment options for those impacted by this devastating disease.
“We wish her the best of luck in her upcoming cycle event and are cheering her on in reaching her goal.”
Brain Tumour Research funds investigations into the diseases at dedicated centres in the UK. It also campaigns for the government and the larger cancer charities to invest more in research into brain tumours in order to speed up new treatments for patients and, ultimately, to find a cure.
The charity is the driving force behind the call for a national annual spend of £35 million in order to improve survival rates and patient outcomes in line with other cancers. To donate to Rosie’s Ride for Research, visit here
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