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Sparks raises money to fund pioneering children’s medical research. 1 in 30 children is born in the UK every day with a condition which may affect them for life. Sparks supports clinicians and scientists who have the skills, innovation and passion to improve children’s lives forever. Since 1991, we have funded more than 270 ground-breaking research projects in over 80 hospitals, universities and research institutions across the UK and overseas. Each new project is carefully reviewed by both medical professionals and a panel of parents. This ensures that we are funding high quality science as well as investing in those projects most likely to have a benefit for children and families across the UK and beyond. Every child matters - that’s why we support research into any medical condition affecting children’s health, from rare diseases to the most common illnesses. == History == Sparks was founded in 1960, when Duncan Guthrie enlisted the support of some of the leading sports personalities of the day, including Jimmy Hill and Arsenal and Wales star Wally Barnes; Ryder Cup golf captain Dai Rees; and cricket legend Jim Laker, to start a charity to help sick children. These eminent sportsmen were lucky enough to be making their living by playing the games they loved and were only too pleased to help those children who might never have the opportunity to play sport at all. Jim Laker was the first Chairman of Sparks and fellow cricket icon Sir Alec Bedser the first President. Sir Alec was succeeded as President by another inspirational British hero, Group Captain Sir Douglas Bader. It was the birth of a long and illustrious lineage of famous names in Sparks's history. The tradition continues to this day and patrons in more recent years include 2003 Rugby World Cup winners Martin Johnson, Lawrence Dallaglio, Jason Leonard and Matt Dawson, Olympic rowers Sir Matthew Pinsent, Sir Steve Redgrave and Tim Foster, footballers Sir Trevor Brooking and Ray Clemence, World Golf Hall of Fame inductee Colin Montgomerie and celebrity couple Gabby and Kenny Logan. Sparks contributed to the research that led to the development of a vaccine for polio that has virtually eradicated the disease worldwide. Sparks built upon this success to fund research into other disease and played a significant role in the development of the rubella vaccine and the discovery that folic acid can help counter the risk of babies being born with spina bifida. In 1991, Sparks became an independent charity, funding ground breaking paediatric medical research projects across a wide range of conditions affecting pregnancy women, babies and young children. The charity's research projects focus on four key areas; pregnancy and birth, first months of life, infancy and childhood and rare diseases. The pioneering projects Sparks fund are carried out at hospitals and universities throughout the UK and have made significant contributions to treatment breakthroughs being used by doctors all over the world. 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Sparks (charity)」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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