Jilly loses cancer fight
A woman from Tipton who inspired a national cancer charity campaign has lost her 19-year battle with the disease.
Jill Austin was the inspiration behind the creation of Cancer Research UK's Jilly Bear. And more than £120,000 has been raised for the charity in her name.
Her two daughters Rikey and Ellen Austin today vowed to go on raising funds in her honour after she succumbed to breast cancer.
Mother-of-three Rikey, 41, who now lives in Dorset with her sister, is a children's book author and teddy bear designer who works with toy makers Russ. She designed the pink Jilly Bear for Cancer Research UK to sell on and all the royalties are kept by the charity. They have sold 50,000 of them over the past two years making £97,000. Together with their other fundraising efforts the total so far is £120,000.
She said: "It got to a point where I decided I wasn't going to lose anyone else to cancer without fighting it that's why I designed the Jilly Bear. I remember when it was launched at the NEC and mum was so proud."
Jill's husband Ernie Austin died 15 years ago, also from cancer. She later met her partner Oliver Ward who she lived with in Leasowe Road. Ellen, aged 35, a community development worker who lives in Dorset said: "Mum was a lovely woman who will be missed so much by all of us."
She died aged 64 on December 17. Her funeral takes place at 11am on January 7 at Tipton Methodist Church.
