Family tragedy inspires the Katie Trust

When Debbie Neal graduates from the University of Teesside today the event will be especially poignant. For Debbie will receive a £200 memorial prize, which she will donate to the Katie Trust, a charity set up in memory of her daughter who died of a brain tumour aged six.

Debbie, 35, from Redcar, has graduated with a BA (Hons) degree in English and History and received the Ann Kempton Memorial Prize, awarded to a student from the Humanities area who has overcome health or other difficulties during their studies.

Further Education Lecturer Debbie is originally from Essex and qualified as a nurse at St. Bart’s Hospital. She moved to the North-East 13 years ago with husband Martin, who is Chief Sports Sub-Editor at the Evening Gazette. They had two children, Tom, now 12, and Katie.

Five years ago she decided to pursue her interests and enrol for the degree. Debbie said: “I’ve always thought History and English link well together, you can’t have one without the other. Literature of certain periods can reflect historical events and I particularly enjoyed learning about the Elizabethans.”

In the final semester of her degree, Debbie’s daughter Katie was diagnosed with a brain tumour at the age of five, and Debbie left her studies. Katie died 14 months later in March 1999. The Katie Trust was set up by Debbie and Martin the following May.

Debbie said: “I didn’t want any money to be used towards flowers when Katie died, we asked for donations towards the Malcolm Sargent Cancer Care charity, who were brilliant with us. This gave us the idea to set up the Katie Trust. Setting up the charity has been really therapeutic and we’ve grown so much in the last two years, raising over £61, 000.”

The Katie Trust have organised two parties for children who are currently being treated for cancer in Newcastle and are funding a PhD research student also in Newcastle, who will explore the causes of brain tumours over a three year period.

A year after Katie’s death, Debbie returned to the University to complete her degree, achieving a 2.1. She said: “I think that Katie would have wanted me to go back, but it was very difficult to physically return to the University buildings, as Katie had accompanied me there on several occasions. I’d like to thank my lecturers, particularly Dave Taylor and Margaret Hems, who were tremendously supportive. I can’t believe I’ve won this prize, I don’t feel I’ve done anything special. Every penny counts, and we’ll be using the £200 towards a second research post. ”

For more information on the Katie Trust call 01642 477098 or 07721 734211, e-mail kt@neals.demon.co.uk, or check the web site at www.neals.demon.co.uk

Tuesday 27 November 10.15am

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