‘Amazing’ former councillor loses her battle with cancer
Friends pay tribute to woman who supported refugee children
THE fight to raise awareness of a deadly strain of meningitis has been raised in Parliament, following the death of Hounslow student Paawan Purba.
Seema Malhotra, the MP for Feltham and Heston, has called for a debate in the autumn after meeting with the Purba family, from Heston, devastated by the loss of their young daughter who died last month in hospital less than 48 hours after becoming ill with Meningitis W.
She did not exhibit the telltale rash associated with meningitis and was thought to be suffering with flu.
Ms Malhotra, who attended the funeral of the 20-year-old last week, has also written to the health minister for more to be done to help prevent additional deaths.
She is also keen to ‘DEVASTATING LOSS’: increase the take-up of free vaccinations available to people under the age of 25.
Ms Malhotra said: “Our hearts go out to the family who have suffered such a devastating loss.
“Paawan was a pharmacology student at the University of East London with a bright future ahead of her.
“Despite the efforts of PHE and charities like Meningitis Now to raise awareness of this disease amongst younger age TRIBUTES have been paid to a former Hillingdon councillor and social worker who died on September 4, aged 58.
Jane Rose served on Hillingdon Council between 1986 and 1990 and was once the deputy leader of the Labour group.
She also cared for people with disabilities in the borough, worked as a social worker and supported refugee children throughout her life.
Paying tribute, friend Chris Bearfield said: “I have much admiration for the way that Jane faced her personal challenges with strength, courage and positivity, always smiling and seeing the best in every situation.”
A former colleague, Brin, said: “I am honoured and blessed to have known Jane as a colleague and friend.
“She was truly amazing and so committed and passionate about advocating for children.”
Jane, who died at Hillingdon Hospital, was first diagnosed with breast cancer in 2003. groups, and the fact that a vaccine is freely available to students, take-up levels nationally remain stubbornly low at 36%, with a considerable regional variance from as low as 5%.
“Much more needs to be done to address low levels of awareness of the disease and to increase the take up of vaccinations. We need action now to stop more young people, like Paawan, needlessly dying from this preventable disease.”
In support of the family, Ms Malhotra first raised the issue in Parliament on Thursday September 15, when she urged for more research to end the horrific disease.
Meanwhile a JustGiving page set up by Paawan’s family to raise funds for the Meningitis Research Foundation has been flooded with donations, passing £10k.
In 2015, the cancer returned and spread, which spurred Jane to set up her own business offering her experience as a social worker to an agency which worked with refugee children.
Jane continued her work with refugees until June this year, when the cancer made it impossible for her to continue.
Jane and her husband David Williams moved to Uxbridge in 1984, where Jane worked at a day centre in Hillingdon caring for disabled people.
She later went on to train as a social worker and supported vulnerable young mums.
In 1995 she visited Nepal for the first time, where she helped a young girl with her education.
Jane travelled to Nepal twice more to help those in need.
A keen community THE fifth Ealing Half Marathon will be taking place on Sunday, with more than 7,000 covering the 13.1-mile route.
The race, which was voted best half-marathon in the UK in 2014, 2015 and 2016, starts and finishes in Lammas Park and is a single lap through Central Ealing, Montpelier, Pitshanger, West Ealing, Hanwell and St Stephen’s.
The half marathon starts at 9am, with the Ealing Mini-Mile taking place at 9.15am.
The Mini-Mile will see runners aged six to 16 running a one-mile route around Lammas Park.
Spectators are encouraged to watch their friends and family take part in the race at the following vantage points in Uxbridge Road, Drayton Bridge Road, Pitshanger Lane and Cuckoo Avenue, some of which benefit from activist, she had also been a school governor, supported the setting up of the Women’s Centre and Women’s Refuge in Hillingdon and championed Little Britain Lake to encourage people to use it.
In fact, Jane started to make a difference to people’s lives at an early age.
When she was just 12 she spotted a letter in the Sunday Times, criticising people who went to comprehensive schools.
Disapproving, she wrote to the newspaper saying people should not criticise or judge others based on the school they went to. The Sunday Times sent a photographer round and Jane was pictured with her letter in the paper.
Jane’s dying wish was for her sister Sara RoseMcMullen to be with her at the end of her life, which she was.
She was surrounded by friends and family and was visited by the Labour MP for Hayes and Harlington John McDonnell.
Before her death, Jane was able to attend her grandson’s 18 birthday party at the Malt Shovel pub, in Cowley, in August. seeing the runners pass twice.
Kelvin Walker, the race director, said: “As in previous years, the Ealing Half Marathon has sold out its public places well in advance of race day – and this year’s race is looking to be the biggest and best yet.
“We would like to thank everyone who has supported the race to make it such a fantastic community event – our partners, local businesses and residents.
“A big thank you also PASSIONATE: goes to the runners who keep coming back to support Ealing Half Marathon year after year, and we wish them all the best for their race on Sunday.”
The organisers of the Ealing Half Marathon are hoping to beat previous fundraising figures for the race’s three headline charities – Alzheimer’s Society, Cancer Research UK and CLIC Sargent.
In the past two years the race has raised more than £900,000.
I am honoured and blessed to have known Jane as a colleague and friend”