Jane Tomlinson
| Jane Tomlinson | |
|---|---|
| Born | 21 February 1964 Wakefield, West Yorkshire, England |
| Died | 3 September 2007 (aged 43) Leeds, West Yorkshire, England |
| Known for | Charity campaigner |
| Spouse | Mike Tomlinson |
Jane Emily Tomlinson, CBE (née Goward; 21 February 1964 – 3 September 2007) was an amateur English athlete who became well known in the United Kingdom for raising £1.85 million for charity by completing a series of athletic challenges, despite suffering from terminal cancer.[1]
Having had treatment for breast cancer in 1991, aged 26; the disease returned in 2000 throughout her body.[2] During the next six years, Tomlinson completed the London Marathon three times, the London Triathlon twice, the New York Marathon once and cycled across Europe and the United States.[2] Jane Tomlinson died in 2007, aged 43.
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[edit] Early life
Jane Emily Goward was born in Wakefield in Yorkshire in 1964, the sixth of ten children of a dentist.[2][3] When she was aged 11, the family emigrated to Australia but returned after three years.[2] In 1990, Tomlinson applied to study Mathematics at the University of Leeds. However, when she found a lump in her breast and had a lumpectomy, she enrolled instead at Leeds General Infirmary and trained as a radiographer.[2] By this time, she had married Mike Tomlinson and had two daughters, Suzanne and Rebecca.[4] They later had a son, Steven.[2][5] Qualifying in 1993, Tomlinson later studied to postgraduate level and became a paediatric radiographer.[2] Three years after having a lumpectomy the cancer returned and she had a second mastectomy, and two rounds of chemotherapy and radiotherapy.[2] In 2000, Jane Tomlinson was told that the cancer had spread to her bones and lungs, and was given about 12 months to live.[2][3]
[edit] Charity fundraising
Jane raised over £1.85million through a series of gruelling challenges including several long-distance bike rides, marathons, triathlons and a full Ironman triathlon. Since her death the charity that she founded has announced a new fundraising target of £5million.
[edit] Last years
In July and August 2006, Tomlinson spent nine weeks cycling 3,800 miles across the United States, raising £250,000.[3][6] This was her final athletic challenge.[7]
Having published The Luxury of Time in 2005, she released the second volume of her memoirs You Can't Take It With You in 2006.[2] In January 2007, Mike and Jane Tomlinson launched Jane Tomlinson's Run For All, a 10 km charity run that took place in June that year.[8] Having had four courses of chemotherapy, she developed chronic heart disease.[6] Having been elevated to a CBE in June 2007, Jane Tomlinson died in St Gemma's Hospice, Leeds, West Yorkshire less than three months later on 3 September.[5][6] Her Requiem Mass, which was conducted by the Bishop of Leeds Arthur Roche, was held at the Roman Catholic Leeds Cathedral on 14 September 2007.[4] Later that day she was cremated in a private family ceremony.[9] On 15 November 2007 Tomlinson's ten-year-old son, Steven, collected her CBE from The Prince of Wales at Buckingham Palace.[10]
[edit] References
- ^ "Obituary: Jane Tomlinson". BBC. 4 September 2007]. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/2585103.stm.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j "Obituary - Jane Tomlinson". The Daily Telegraph. 6 September 2007. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2007/09/06/db0602.xml.
- ^ a b c "Obituary - Jane Tomlinson". London: The Times. 5 September 2007. http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/obituaries/article2387736.ece.
- ^ a b "Husband speaks of Jane heartbreak". BBC. 14 September 2007. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/6993156.stm.
- ^ a b "Jane Tomlinson loses cancer fight". BBC. 4 September 2007. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/west_yorkshire/6976050.stm.
- ^ a b c "Tomlinson honoured with CBE". BBC. 15 June 2007. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/6757317.stm.
- ^ "Jane ends fund-raising on a high". BBC. 1 September 2006. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/west_yorkshire/5306406.stm.
- ^ "Thousands join in Tomlinson run". BBC. 24 June 2007. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/west_yorkshire/6234770.stm.
- ^ Nugent, Helen (15 September 2007). "1,000 gather to remember fundraiser Jane". London: The Times. http://women.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/women/families/article2456447.ece.
- ^ "Tomlinson honour accepted by son". BBC. 15 November 2007. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/west_yorkshire/7095856.stm.
