Helping more children to be born healthy and stay healthy
When you ask any expectant parent if they want a boy or a girl, the answer is almost always the same – they don’t mind as long as their baby is healthy. Sadly, in the UK, 1 in 30 babies are born with a condition which may affect them for life. Sparks, the children’s medical research charity, is dedicated to funding research into conditions affecting mothers-to-be, babies and children. Our vision is a world where every baby is born healthy and stays healthy.
Since 1991, Sparks has committed over £20 million into pioneering research projects across a wide spectrum of medical conditions including childhood cancers, cerebral palsy, premature birth and spina bifida.
The research we fund is across the whole of the UK with many of our medical breakthroughs having a global impact. We only fund research that is intended to have a practical and positive impact on the lives of babies and children.
Sparks – making a difference in your local community
We’ve funded research all across the UK, from Scotland to Southampton, and our results are making a real difference to families in your area. Our research into improved treatments is helping families cope better with their child’s condition and our breakthroughs are leading to early diagnosis of serious illnesses and even preventing some conditions from developing in the first place.
Baby Riley
Sarah and Dave Joyce from Exeter had a normal pregnancy so it was a complete shock when their baby Riley was born without a pulse and unable to breathe independently. The Joyce’s were the first parents to be offered the combination of xenon gas and the baby cooling technique to minimise Riley’s risk of brain damage. Riley made world medical history and he survived without brain damage and is now a happy healthy little boy, having recently had his first birthday. “Without Sparks funding research into this treatment, it might have been a very different outcome for Riley. We’re so grateful for the opportunity Riley had and like Sparks, we want all babies to have the same chance, to be born healthy and stay healthy”.
Help us do more
Sparks is small but our impact is huge. Help us continue our work by supporting us in any way you can. Get together with friends and family to raise some money, take part in one of our events or challenges, or give us some time to help us spread the word in your area about what Sparks does. Whatever you can do, we’re really grateful and we’re here to help if you need us.
http://www.sparks.org.uk
