Clare Brown

Congratulations to Clare Brown, founder of The Lauren Brown Fund, set up in honour of her daughter Lauren, making a difference for children, a most worthy recipient of a 2023/24 Wrexham Recognition Award.
Here is Clare’s story.
‘It started in 2009 when Lauren was having treatment for Ewings Sarcoma, a type of bone cancer that affected her shoulder blade and which was removed completely in surgery in June 2009. When we were In Alderhey Children’s Hospital they were very well supported financially, by many famous faces and had lots of what you would call luxuries, tv’s, toys, reward boxes etc. However, Wrexham Hospital does not have this type of funding’.
One night, whilst in Wrexham Hospital Lauren wanted to watch the X Factor. She loved Joe McElderry, however her tv would only allow her to watch BBC 1. Lauren ‘kicked off royally’ and was moved to the main ward, on her way back to her own room she said to Clare ‘I am going to raise some money and buy some tv’s that actually work’.
Lauren started fundraising and raised enough money to buy two tv’s with built in DVD players. For her last visit to the hospital on Thursday 9th February 2010, staff made sure one of these tv’s was in her cubicle. Lauren saw the tv and smiled with a satisfied look on her face. Sadly, Lauren passed away the next day at 12.20pm, Friday 10th February 2010.
Clare and her family decided to carry on Lauren’s legacy and with the money raised at her funeral, nearly £3000, bought tv’s for every cubicle and HDU room, as well as large screen tv’s for the two main wards.
Not satisfied with this, they continued fundraising, Clare’s big ‘bug bear’ in Wrexham were the two uncomfortable parent’s chair beds. ’You can cope with so much more if you’ve had some sleep, in what can be very emotional and trying times’. Thus, the Lauren Brown Fund started, buying beds for parents, enabling them to be with their child and get some rest too.
The Lauren Brown Fund to date has raised close to an extraordinary £70,000, with sponsored events, auction nights, wine tastings and an annual Christmas bingo, enabling little luxuries for children to be bought, that will make their stay in hospital a little more bearable.
‘The Lauren Brown Fund will continue to support the amazing people and staff that use and work on the ward’.
Well done, to Clare, what a fantastic legacy!