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Life in pictures l Obituary l Tributes l Her feats
The “inspirational” Jane Tomlinson, who raised £1.75 million for charity
despite suffering from multiple terminal cancers for the past seven years,
has died at the age of 43.
Gordon Brown was among those rushing to praise the Leeds mother of three, who
ignored the pain and exhaustion of cancer treatment to take part in a series
of fundraising marathons and endurance races.
Her "heartbroken" family announced this morning that she died at St
Gemma’s Hospice, in Leeds, at 9pm last night.
Mrs Tomlinson recovered from her first encounter with cancer after undergoing
a mastectomy in 1990. Her response to the disease was to enter the medical
profession herself and she began to re-train as a radiographer just two
months after the surgery.
Ten years later she was informed that the cancer had returned and spread and
doctors predicted that she had only six months to live.
From that point on she dedicated her life to raising money for charity,
undertaking a series of events including the London and New York marathons.
She was the first terminal cancer sufferer to complete a full Ironman
triathlon, comprising a 2.4-mile swim, 112-mile bike ride and full marathon
to be done inside 17 hours.
Her last challenge was also her toughest - a 4,200-mile bike ride across the
United States, from San Francisco to New York, enduring temperatures of more
than 37C and altitudes of more than 3,000ft along the way.
The Prime Minister said she was “a daily inspiration to our generation”.
“The whole country will be greatly saddened by the death of Jane Tomlinson,”
Mr Brown added. “Jane’s mission in life was a simple one: to make the most
of every day and to help others, and she not only achieved that several
times over, but inspired millions of others along the way.”
The Rt Rev Arthur Roche, the Bishop of Leeds, paid tribute to her
determination to use her cancer setback as a launching pad for her
charitable work, which earned her a CBE in June this year.
“She was a bright beam of light in the midst of a darkness that can so often
accompany terminal illness,” he said.
“She fought a very brave fight, of Olympian proportions, right to the end of
her earthly life and has left us a legacy of courage when faced with
difficulty, of striving for others despite one’s own important needs.”
After being told she had six months to live, Jane Tomlinson began a course of
chemotherapy, which finished in 2001, that year she took part in her first
fundraising event - a 5km Race For Life.
After completing the New York marathon in November 2005 she was forced to take
a break from fundraising. Four courses of chemotherapy in six years had left
her suffering chronic heart disease.
Her family believed her epic run of sporting events was finally at an end but
last year she announced her greatest challenge yet – the bike ride across
America.
Mike Tomlinson, her husband, admitted that he had begged her not to continue
as she made her agonising progress across the country.
"She ignored me like a good wife should, and she's been proved right. I'm
very, very astonished that she's here,” he said as she cycled into New York.
Throughout her fundraising career Mrs Tomlinson admitted that she was
“constantly surprised” she had lived so long, but said had an “unfinished
job to do as a mum” to Suzanne, 21, Rebecca, 19, and 10-year-old Steven.
Today, her husband and children also paid tribute to her. In a statement they
said: “We are, as a family, heartbroken at this loss but we know this
extends to all her family and friends. Jane has always said her family has
been the greatest joy in life and we feel honoured to have been blessed with
such a wonderful person.”
They added: “The weight of this burden has been immense on all of us but,
primarily, Jane. We hope that she is now at peace from the pain that has
accompanied her for so long.”
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An utterly astonishing woman.
Paul, London, Canada
What a woman - my heart goes out to her family at this very sad time. Her strength was awesome and I know how hard it must have been for all of them to keep going and continue to function. I lost my mum to cancer 13 years ago. I'm a mum now and if I could leave a legacy like Jane's I'd be very very proud and would feel that I've left something for my children to grab hold of when they look back and feel sad.
Lots of love
Gina Orchard, Hartley, Kent, England
Brave, caring, wife and mother - magnificent and really made a difference - truly one of a kind!.
Michael, Redhill, UK
Please forward our sincere condolences to Jane's family - she was an exceptionally courageous woman and an example to us all in how to live in the face of adversity.
We lived in E.Yorkshire for 2 years 2002-04 and followed many of Jane's fundraising events during that time.
May she rest in peace and her family find comfort in their memories of a great woman.
Catherine A. Peters, Dubai, UAE
Jane Tomlinson will always be seen as an example of human tenacity and bravery. She will also be remembered and treasured as an example to us all. When we continually read of the dreadful things we do to each other, we should quietly remember her as a beacon of light. She was and is an inspiration to us all.These words are limited in expression to the gratitude we should have for her example and her life. May she rest in eternal peace and be in a better place, and let us all remember her family at this time.
Bob, Gloucester, UK
How sad this is. What a champion! God rest Jane, you won't be forgotten.
Judy , Liverpool, england
On occasions I saw Jane on one of her training runs around the roads of Rothwell. Sometimes she looked simply dreadful but she always waved to the car horn.
A unique lady.
God bless her and her family.
Nigel Graham-Miller, Valencia, Spain
What a woman - my heart goes out to her family at this very sad time. Her strength was awesome and I know how hard it must have been for all of them to keep going and continue to function. I lost my mum to cancer 13 years ago. I'm a mum now and if I could leave a legacy like Jane's I'd be very very proud and would feel that I've left something for my children to grab hold of when they look back and feel sad.
Lots of love,
Gina Orchard, Hartley, Kent, England
Jane Tomlinson a person who was unique. What Jane achieved was the unthinkable and it is in people like this that all people who suffer the illness of cancer can find a true hero. For all of us that know people affected by cancer there is a special bond, and acknowledgment of the fight required to win, a feeling of true compassion when another one passes away to a truly awful disease. If anyone ever needed a wonderful story on the way we should all try to live, look at the life of this woman. Something for all of us to remember is that sometimes in life you read of people who are one of a kind. Someone who we have never met but makes us feel proud, and someone who brings hope and shows us all what is possible. Deepest condolences to her family and friends. Jane will be a hero for many people for many years to come. A true star.
Sandhu Family, Birmingham,
I, like many thousands of ordinary men and women, have been moved by Jane's extraordinary courage.
Not only to do what she has done in the face of a terminal illness but in the face of, unbelievebly, abusive calls and letters from a few sad people who doubted she was ill at all.
That she maintained her dignity and tenacity through all this is remarkable and, to me, inspirational.
Geoff Walker, Gillingham, UK
She is an inspiration to us all.
James, Bristol, U.K,
When they are doling out the New Years Honours to all those show biz and sports nonentities who have done nothing but line their own pockets financially, and done little else, how about remembering a real hero of our time-Jane Tomlinson.She did more in a week than many of these cretins did in a lifetime.Lets restore some value and respectability to these honours with something for Jane.What a shining example she was to the whole world.
Iain Chapman, Marciac, France
I never met Jane but after seeing her on TV so frequently I was truly sorry to hear this news. Jane Tomlinson was an inspiration to us all. My thoughts are with her family who have also been brave thoughout Jane's fight.
Sarah Williams, Gerrards Cross, UK
An inspirational and determined lady. Lets hope we see her name on the next civil honours list.
Tom, Huntingdon, Cambs
A truly remarkable lady, battling the odds to raise awareness and much needed funds for breast cancer. My thoughts are with her family and friends at this time.
Cathy, London,
A truly special and courageous lady, who packed more living into her last 7 years than most of us do in a lifetime. God Bless you.
Jane, Sutton,
Deepest condolences to her family, this lady was an inspiration to all and gave inner strength to those who have to live with & fight cancer! God bless her soul.
Donate if you can http://www.justgiving.com/janetomlinson
make her target become reality
Wayne, manchester, uk
What a wonderful, brave lady. Deepest condolences to her family and friends. RIP
Helen, DELTA, BC,
Jane was an incredible woman - an inspiration and example to everyone. Her sheer bloody-mindedness and determination to complete her goals, not in spite of her cancers but because of them, should humble every one of us.
My sincerest condolences to her equally amazing family.
redheadmavis, Cheltenham, UK
top bird
iain wright, newport, wales
Like many others I have followed Jane's magnificant efforts in completing the many strenuous tasks she set herself, most of which the average able bodied person would have had difficulty in completing. It is a very sad day, and those doubters should feel ashamed of themselves. What say them now I ask?
will steer, Tiverton, Devon,
What an inspiration Jayne has been. Her family must be so proud of her. May she rest in peace.
Jill Edwards, Cambridge, UK