Charity set up to honour the legacy of Isla Tansey
Family want Islastones Foundation to help community
THE legacy of a little girl who inspired people across the world with her battle with spinal cancer will live on as a charity has been set up in her name.
Isla Tansey, from Hinckley, created the #islastones movement, getting people to paint pebbles and share pictures of them online, to raise awareness of her illness.
The brave youngster died in July 2018 aged seven at home with her parents and older brother Harrison, by which time the #islastones Facebook group had reached more than 72,000 members.
The project raised £73,000 to fund an ‘Isla Smiler’ research post into the type of tumour that Isla had, DIPG (Diffuse Intrinsic Pontine Glioma) through good cause Abbie’s Army.
Now they organisers want to continue raising funds and doing activities through their own group, the Islastones Foundation.
Isla’s mum, Katherine, said:
“Over time with our fundraising, I have seen where we can access different grants and how it can help people in the community with their mental health. Lots of little groups have got in touch with each other, that have met through #islastones.
“We just want to look at how we can put things back into the community.”
There are plans to do events at a venue in the town and the good cause is starting out with a handful of trustees, with hopes to grow the number as the project takes off.
A Valentine’s extravaganza in aid of the good cause raised £750, including a performance from Isla’s dad, Simon.
Following her death, friends and supporters left hundreds of tributes and painted stones in the bandstand in Argents Mead, where a memorial event was organised shortly afterwards.
A 6.2 tonne granite stone has since been installed near the bandstand with a plaque, in her honour.
In October 2019, Katherine won Outstanding Commitment Winner of 2019 at the Justgiving awards for her work on the #islastones campaign.
For more information, visit the Islastones Foundation website or Facebook page.