<% leftrrTags=Array("ad.Border.0", "Ad.Size.Button2") %> <% arrTags=Array("ad.Border.0", "Ad.Size.Banner") %> <% rightrrTags=Array("ad.Border.0", "Ad.Size.Button2") %>
botw.gif (3771 bytes)

Why we’re backing SPARKS

SPARKS (Sport Aiding medical Research for KidS) and babyworld have joined forces to promote the work undertaken by the charity to help babies be born healthy and stay healthy.

SPARKS is a charity committed to preventing and alleviating suffering in children through a wide programme of medical research. SPARKS’ research projects study conditions occurring from pregnancy through the early years of life and focus on bringing research to clinical application.

Medical research

Medical research saves lives and improves quality of life for everyone. If you or your baby have ever been vaccinated or treated for an injury or disease, you will have benefited from medical research. Medical research improves knowledge, not only of the specific condition being researched, but also related and unrelated conditions. All knowledge gained through research is shared internationally.

Since August 1991 SPARKS has pledged over £7 million to fund some 100 medical research projects studying a wide range of medical conditions from brain damage, childhood cancer and pre-eclampsia to cleft lip and palate. Given time and funding, medical research can help to prevent tragedies occurring. Even when it is too late to prevent disability, medical research can help children reach their full potential.

SPARKS has projects throughout England and into Scotland and Wales so there should be one at a hospital or university near you.

Raising funds

With the help of Britain’s favourite sports and showbusiness personalities, grateful for their own good health, SPARKS raises funds through a wide programme of fun social and sports-themed activities and promotions including golf, karting, clay pigeon shooting, football, rugby, polo and the star-studded SPARKS Balls.

With your help SPARKS can give children the greatest gift of all
- the chance of a healthy start in life.

"As a founder member of SPARKS, I am only too happy to give my time and sporting energies to help more youngsters in the future to live full, happy and active lives."
Jimmy Hill OBE, Vice-President and Founding Member.

"As a sportsman with three healthy children, I really appreciate the privilege of good health and that's why I support SPARKS. It's great to be able to give something back in the hope that all children will be born free from disability."
Steven Redgrave CBE, Vice-President

So keep visiting babyworld to learn more about how babyworld and SPARKS  are going to work together over the next few months.