About - Sues Name

About the In Sue’s Name charity

WHO WE ARE

In Sue’s Name was founded in 2014 by David Taylor in memory of his beloved daughter Sue Blasotta, who died in 2011 of brain tumours.

Sue was devoted to her husband Joe and their children Sasha and Daniel. She adored her career, first in recruitment with Reed Employment and then caring for children and parent contact at St Ignatius College. But she was also passionate about raising funds for cancer research, having lost several family members to the disease including her grandma and grandad. She took part in five 5k Race For Life runs at Trent Park in North London, as well as completing a sky dive — despite being terrified of heights.

Sue was diagnosed with three lesions on the brain in November 2010 and died just six weeks later, facing death with tremendous courage while leaving two young children without a mother. Over 800 people attended her funeral.

Brain tumours are especially tragic as they tend to strike young people and, although brain cancer is a bigger killer of people under 40 than any other form of cancer and that incidence is rising by 2 per cent a year, brain tumour research accounts for less than 1% of government funding.

The scale of the disease was brought home to all of us when two other families from the same parish suffered a similar loss at around the time that Sue died.

It seemed important than that In Sue’s Name should be set up to honour Sue’s memory and legacy by campaigning to change that, and with brain cancers continuing to increase year on year, it seems even more urgent now.

In Sue’s Name has attracted a wonderful group of patrons who have been happy to support us and associate themselves with our efforts:
• Malcolm McMahon, Archbishop of Liverpool;
• Former Lord Chamberlain Lord Camoys;
• Entertainer Don Maclean KSS MBE;
• Peter Coates, Chairman of Bet365 and Stoke City FC;
• Actor and comedian Steve Coogan; and
• Sir Tom Farmer CVO, CBE, KCSG, FRSE, DL, former chairman founder of Kwik-Fit.

The charity also has a Board of Trustees and a smaller Executive Committee to manage the day-to-day running. The heart of In Sue’s Name, though, is our dedicated team of fundraisers and administrators – many friends and family of Sue and others like her, all victims of this terrible disease we’re determined to fight.

In Sue’s Name – the birth of a charity

At the time of Sue’s stay at the Royal Free Hospital and her subsequent death, there were two other young people from our church – St Monica’s in Palmers Green – at the same hospital, also suffering from brain tumours: Anthony Bourke and Jackie McGovern, who also died from this terrible disease.

This was the trigger that eventually prompted me to speak to three friends from our church: Don O‘Rourke, Sean Cuttle and Des Cole, and ask them if they could help me organise a Charity Golf Day to raise funds for Brain Tumour Research.

They were all experienced in organising golf tournaments and with Eleanor Cuttle, Denise Cole and Kathie, we had a very successful first event in 2014. They also helped organise the next two golf days. Kathie has been a great help designing our brochures for all of our events.

Our Founder

The In Sue’s Name charity was founded by David Taylor, and he continues to support the organisation he created, each and every day.

“As the charity founder, I started this charity back in 2014 in loving memory of my daughter so that her family and friends might carry on the important work that Sue always did to raise money for cancer related charities.

“Our daughter Sue was passionate about the need for raising funds for Cancer Research, as a result of our family suffering the loss of a number of friends and family, including Sue’s beloved grandparents to this disease that affects so many in our community.

“She participated in several fundraising events including five 5k Race for Life runs at Trent Park in Enfield, North London, and encouraged all her friends and family to join her. She also took part in a Skydive, even though she was scared of heights, all in aid of Cancer Research UK.

“This is why we, her family and friends, have set up this brain tumour charity in her memory to honour her legacy of hope for other sufferers of brain cancer and their families, to offer hope for the future.

“There is so much you can do to help the charity. If you would like more details on n Sue’s Name then contact me or anyone else in our wonderful team, by following this link >>>

Research

Vital research is now being carried out into treatment for brain tumours at the Brain Tumour Research Centre of Excellence in the Blizard Institute, part of Queen Mary University of London in Whitechapel.

This gives hope to us all, but research for brain tumours remains desperately underfunded.

In Sue’s Name aims to raise £1 million by 2027 towards this vital research.

To find out more about the research, visit

https://www.qmul.ac.uk/blizard/about/news/items/brain-tumour-research-centre-of-excellence-launches-at-the-blizard-institute.html

https://www.qmul.ac.uk/blizard

Our Trustees

Craig Rydqvist ACA

Chair of Trustees

Craig is a Chartered Accountant who has spent the majority of his career in international investment banking and he is currently Head of Capital Markets for Varde Partners. Craig has been involved in numerous charity endeavours, such as Anthony Nolan and Cancer Research UK. Craig is an active member of the London Business School alumni association and devotes time to working with young people on issues around social exclusion and social mobility.

Craig lives in North London with his wife Niki and two children, Jack and Ella.

Daniella Siretz

Trustee

Daniella has a German law degree from the Universität zu Koln and a post-graduate degree in law in England and Wales. She has worked as a lawyer in London since 2003, first at leading law firm Allen & Overy LLP and then, since August 2010, in the investment banking division of The Royal Bank of Scotland. She lives in North London and juggles her full-time job with being a mum to three little girls.

She was honoured and pleased to be asked to come on board as a trustee for In Sue’s Name and will contribute her time and skills to the charity’s cause with vigour. Having a young family has made her particularly aware of how precious health is, and having met some of Sue’s family members, she was touched by their energy and dedication to commemorating Sue in this way.

Simal Raicha

Trustee

Simal is born and brought up in Kenya.

He has studied International Business Admin and been married to Aarti since 1999 and proud father to 3 boys aged 15,13 and 8. Family is most crucial for Simal.

He is one of the founders of an international Reputation Marketing company but his true passion is helping people excel and making difference in others’ lives. Ever since his eldest son was born with a very rare condition called MCM and he has got divine blessings on his path to recovery, Simal and Aarti have taken responsibility of impacting other lives’ positively as a strong crusade. They feel fortunate that their son has progressed well and hence believe in ensuring they can also contribute towards various causes and charities by allocating a percentage of his companies’ income towards supporting worthwhile causes.

He is very humbled to join In Sue’s Name is to lend a hand in alievating deadly killer cancer is as his dear mother-in-law too was a victim of it.

Michael Cuschieri

Trustee

Michael Cuschieri is the managing director of the mc square marketing agency, a company he has successfully run for over a decade, helping businesses stand out from their competition. Michael previously spent 20 years working in retail marketing with Marks & Spencer, since when he has worked within other agencies across the UK.

Michael is also a Director Consultant for networking group, BNI, where he delivers personal development training and helps businesses grow. He was born in Malta, is married with two children and enjoys playing golf, scuba diving, travelling, photography and networking.

Roger Colletta

Trustee

Roger has a degree from the London School of Economics and an MBA from the Open University Business School. He has worked in the IT systems and services sector throughout his career and has held senior positions in a range of companies including Fujitsu Services plc, Patsystems plc and Voca. He has also worked in the consultancy and business intelligence sectors and currently works for a technical digital agency. Roger is married with three children and lives in North London.

Roger’s father was diagnosed with an incurable brain tumour in 2004 and died in June 2005. He became a trustee of In Sue’s Name to help raise awareness of how devastating this condition is for patients and their families.

Niki Rydqvist

Treasurer

Niki is a mother to Jack & Ella and is married to Craig, who is Chairman of the Trustees.

Sue was my eldest sister and my best friend.

Niki’s commercial background is in finance and she has worked in the past in both the corporate and the public sector. Niki brings her experience in finance and her love for her sister to good use as Treasurer of the charity to ensure that all relevant financial issues relating to our charity status are adhered to.

Our Patrons

Lord Camoys

GCVO PC DL KGCSG

Lord Camoys’ main career was in banking. He was General Manager/Director of National Provincial and Rothschild (London) Ltd. in 1968, and Managing Director of Rothschild Intercontinental Bank Ltd. in 1969.

After the purchase of Rothschild Intercontinental Bank by American Express in 1975, he was named CEO and Managing Director of Amex Bank Ltd, 1975–77, and Chairman between 1977–78. Lord Camoys was Managing Director of Barclays Merchant Bank from 1978–84, and Executive Vice-Chairman from 1984–86.

Don Maclean

Entertainer

Don Maclean has been in showbusiness for over 40 years appearing on stage, screen & radio. He first came to the attention of the general public through his appearances in ‘Crackerjack’ and the ‘Black & White Minstrel Show’ which he hosted for three years on television and five years on stage.

Sir Thomas Farmer

CVO, CBE, KCSG, FRSE, DL

Sir Tom Farmer was born in Leith, Edinburgh in 1940 and is one of seven children brought up in a devoutly Catholic family. He lives in Edinburgh with Anne, his wife of 50 years. They have a daughter, a son and four grandchildren.

Sir Tom’s present appointments are: Non-Executive Director of Scottish Power and Chancellor of Queen Margaret University, Edinburgh.

Steve Coogan

Actor, Comedian, impressionist, writer & producer.

Steve Coogan began his career in the 1980s, working as a voice artist on the satirical puppet show Spitting Image. In the early 1990s, he began creating original comic characters, leading him to win the Perrier Award at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe. In 1999, he co-founded the production company Baby Cow Productions. While working with Armando Iannucci on The Day Today and On the Hour, Coogan created his most developed and popular character, Alan Partridge, a socially awkward and politically incorrect regional media personality. He has since developed into an accomplished big screen actor, most recently in the acclaimed Laurel & Hardy biopic.

Malcolm McMahon

Archbishop of Liverpool

Malcolm McMahon was born in London, the second of three brothers, and studied mechanical engineering at the University of Manchester Institute of Science and Technology before working for London Transport. In 1976, he decided upon an ecclesiastical career and joined the Dominican Order. Making his religious profession in December 1977, McMahon studied philosophy at Blackfriars, Oxford and theology at Heythrop College. He was ordained to the priesthood by Cardinal Basil Hume on 26 June 1982.

Mr Peter Coates

Chairman of Stoke City Football Club and Bet365

Peter Coates was born in Goldenhill, Stoke-on-Trent, the youngest of 14 children. His father was a miner and had a keen interest in football, where they regularly attended Stoke City’s Victoria Ground.

Coates signed for the club on amateur terms in the 1950s, but admitted he was “not quite good enough” to make it as a professional. Instead he went on to play for local non-league sides Goldenhill Wanderers and Kidsgrove Athletic, but is now Chairman of Stoke City FC, as well as the family-run betting company, Bet365.