Jane Tomlinson | |
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| Born | Jane Emily Goward (1964-02-21)21 February 1964 Wakefield,West Riding of Yorkshire, England |
| Died | 3 September 2007(2007-09-03) (aged 43) Leeds,West Yorkshire, England |
| Known for | Charity campaigner |
| Spouse | Mike Tomlinson |
Jane Emily Tomlinson,CBE (néeGoward; 21 February 1964[1] – 3 September 2007) was an amateur Englishathlete who raised £1.85 million for charity by completing a series of athletic challenges, despite suffering from terminal cancer.[2]
Having had treatment for breast cancer in 1991, at age 26, the disease returned in 2000 throughout her body.[3] During the next six years, Tomlinson completed theLondon Marathon three times, theLondon Triathlon twice, theNew York Marathon once and cycled across Europe and the United States.[3] Tomlinson died in 2007, aged 43.
Jane Emily Goward was born inWakefield,[4]Yorkshire in 1964, the sixth of ten children of adentist.[3][5] When she was aged 11, the familyemigrated to Australia but returned after three years.[3]
In 1990, Tomlinson applied to study Mathematics at theUniversity of Leeds. However, when she found a lump in her breast and had alumpectomy, she enrolled instead atLeeds General Infirmary and trained as aradiographer.[3] By this time, she had married Mike Tomlinson and had two daughters.[6] They later had a son.[3][7]
Qualifying in 1993, Tomlinson later studied topostgraduate level and became apaediatric radiographer.[3] Three years after having a lumpectomy the cancer returned and she had amastectomy, two rounds ofchemotherapy andradiotherapy.[3] In 2000, Tomlinson was told that the cancer had spread to herbones andlungs, and was given about 12 months to live.[3][5]
Tomlinson raised over £1.85 million through a series of challenges including several long-distance bike rides, marathons, triathlons and a fullIronman triathlon. Since her death the charity that she founded has announced a new fundraising target of £5 million. As of February 2015 £7.6 million has been raised, and in September 2017 the campaign announced fundraising had surpassed £10m.[8]
In July and August 2006, Tomlinson spent nine weeks cycling 3,800 miles across the United States, raising £250,000.[5][9] This was her final athletic challenge.[10]
Having publishedThe Luxury of Time in 2005, she released the second volume of her memoirsYou Can't Take It With You in 2006.[3] In January 2007, Mike and Jane Tomlinson launchedJane Tomlinson's Run For All, a 10 km charity run that took place in June that year.[11] Having had four courses of chemotherapy, she developed chronicheart disease.[9] Having been elevated to aCBE inJune 2007, Jane Tomlinson died in St Gemma's Hospice,Leeds, West Yorkshire less than three months later on 3 September.[7][9]
Her Requiem Mass, which was conducted byArthur Roche,Roman Catholic Bishop of Leeds, was held at theRoman CatholicLeeds Cathedral on 14 September 2007.[6] Later that day she wascremated in a private family ceremony.[12]
On 15 November 2007 Tomlinson's ten-year-old son collected her CBE from thenCharles, Prince of Wales (now King Charles III) atBuckingham Palace.[13]
In March 2011, train operatorNorthern Rail named a158797-class passengerrailcarJane Tomlinson.[14]
In March 2015, a plaque in honour of Tomlinson, erected by theYorkshire Society, was unveiled atVictoria Gardens in Leeds, an area she cycled through on some of her fundraisers.[15]
Her name is one of those featured on the sculptureRibbons, unveiled in 2024.[16][17]
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