Mum throws 70th birthday dance fundraiser to honour brain tumour son

Jan and dancing partner pre partyJan and dancing partner pre party
Jan and dancing partner pre party
A Hertfordshire mum whose son died of a brain tumour is using her 70th birthday to help fundraise to find a cure for the disease.

Jan Gill from Broxbourne is hosting a birthday dance party fundraiser at Thundridge Village Hall on Saturday (28 December) the same day she celebrates her 70th birthday.

The four-hour event involves a charity raffle and live music from rock’n’roll band, Monday Mojo’s, and is in aid of two charities, including Brain Tumour Research.

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Jan, who dances rock’n’roll and has also been a Morris dancer for 25 years, said: “Growing up with a birthday so close to Christmas, I used to get a combined birthday present which sometimes was annoying when I was younger. Reaching such a milestone birthday, I’m looking forward to being surrounded by friends to raise money for such wonderful causes.”

Brother Martyn mum Jan and Jason holding his nieceBrother Martyn mum Jan and Jason holding his niece
Brother Martyn mum Jan and Jason holding his niece

She’s using the event to remember her 41-year-old son, Jason Dobkin, who died of a glioblastoma in April 2023. The youngest of two sons, Jason suffered a seizure out-of-the-blue whilst driving his work van, leaving behind his partner of 10 years, Jade.

Despite two operations, radiotherapy and chemotherapy treatment, Jason’s tumour was too aggressive. He died 19 months after diagnosis.

Jan used to work as a typist before training to become an animal nursing assistant. More recently, she worked with people in a nursing home which she said helped her support Jason at the end of his life.

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She said: “Learning how to transfer people, use hoists and manage their care was invaluable in supporting Jason at the end of his life. I watched the tumour change him physically and eventually he moved to a hospice where he spent Christmas and new year, we had a family Christmas dinner in the dining hall there.”

So far, Jan has raised more than £300 which will be split between Brain Tumour Research and Isabel Hospice.

She added: “Jade misses her soulmate who she thought would always be by her side. He was kind and loving, would help anyone and didn't deserve to die so young. Whilst it's too late to help my Jason, Brain Tumour Research is a vitally important organisation working to ensure viable treatment options continue to be developed so that hopefully one day this horrible disease can be successfully treated, and survival rates can improve.”

Brain tumours kill more men under 70 than prostate cancer, yet just 1% of the national spend on cancer research has been allocated to brain tumours since records began in 2002.

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Charlie Allsebrook, community development manager at Brain Tumour Research, said: “We’re grateful to Jan for sharing Jason’s story with us. Sadly, it’s not unique, brain tumours are indiscriminate; they can affect anyone at any age. It’s only with the support of people like Jan that will help us change this for future patients and their families. We’d like to wish Jan a happy 70th birthday and say a huge thanks for using this as a way of raising awareness of brain tumours.”

Brain Tumour Research funds sustainable research at dedicated centres in the UK. It also campaigns for the Government and 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 such as breast cancer and leukaemia.

To donate to Brain Tumour Research via Jan’s 70th birthday charity fundraiser, please visit: www.justgiving.com/page/jan-gill-20241228

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