1st July 2021 would have been Princess Diana’s 60th birthday. Children with Cancer UK’s CEO, Cliff O’Gorman, recounts how Princess Diana supported his family and helped establish the charity:
“My 14-year-old brother Paul died of cancer in February 1987, followed just months later by my sister, Jean. Our tragic story made the papers and, completely out of the blue, Diana contacted us saying she’d like to help us. She came to a cancer-fundraising event my parents were helping to stage and sat with my mum during the interval looking at pictures of Paul and Jean, and hugging her while she cried. She then came to plant a memorial tree at Paul’s school and suggested starting a charity to raise money in his name. Normally that setting-up process can take several months, but she got her staff to sort it out in days. The fact that she was prepared to get involved in a low-profile family project said a lot about her, I think. She’d attend meetings and would meet my father (pictured right, with Diana) for updates on the charity. Her first question was always: ‘How’s the tree doing?’ Children with Cancer UK has now raised over £275 million for research, awareness and helping families. She’d be thrilled.” In support of this special day, Cliff appeared on BBC1’s the One Show which aired at 7pm on Thursday 1st July 2021. To watch this, sign into BBC iPlayer and click on this link https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/m000xhtq Watch episode 01/07/2021 from 01:56 to 06:16.
