Essex couple "absolutely gobsmacked" and "humbled" to be awarded MBEs
An Essex couple say they're "absolutely gobsmacked" to both be awarded MBEs in New Year Honours.
Nicky and Richard Bowdidge co-founded The Tom Bowdidge Youth Cancer Foundation after their son passed away aged 19.
Tom Bowdidge - who was diagnosed with cancer in 2012 - spoke before his passing about his desire to start a charity to fundraise for young people suffering from cancer.
After he died, the couple co-founded the charity according to Tom’s vision.
The Foundation has gone on to raise a total of £1.6m through a huge variety of fundraising activities, the funds that go towards research and supporting young people.
In 2023 alone, they provided over £18k in care and support grants directly to 52 young people and their families.
The couple have worked with the Teenage Cancer Trust to oversee the Foundation set up eight rooms and age-appropriate spaces in hospitals across the UK where young people undergoing cancer care can relax with friends, and have their treatment in private.
Nicola Bowdidge tells Greatest Hits Radio the 3 main areas the foundation covers is:
- Research into specific cancers that affect teenage cancers - funding good, non-toxic treatments.
- Supporting individuals - pay for housing, getting them to and from hospital, bills for mortgages, food, clothing and wigs etc.
- Finding age-appropriate rooms in hospitals across the country, not in a teenage cancer unit but in a shared care hospital.
"Because they're very much teenagers, they shouldn't be treated with young children or eighty year olds either. They're a 'breed of their own' as Tom said."
"So it's really important that we put as many of these separate units out across the country."
When asked what Tom would say if he knew they'd received these awards, Nicky replied:
"He'd be absolutely blown away. But he would agree with this that whilst we've been so lucky to have this award bestowed upon us this is actually for everybody that keeps the charity running.
"Somebody asked me what Tom would say and I said he'd be asking whatever royal gives us the award 'and how can you help with the charity?'" Nicky tells us laughing.