Charity asks public not to make donations

A cancer charity for teenagers has warned the public not to donate money to a company which claims to be acting on its behalf, according to a report in the Irish Times. The Laura Crane Trust, which has offered funding to hospitals in Dublin and Belfast, has severed all ties with Sapphire Media which has been selling advertising for a wall planner in Ireland bearing the charity's name.


The Laura Crane Trust is a legitimate charity based in the north of England. It provides research and funding for hospitals that treat teenagers with cancer along with recreational facilities for teenagers who have to spend a long time in hospital. It was set up by the mother of Laura Crane, a 17-year-old who died of cancer in 1996, and has since raised more than ‚€1.5 million.

Businesses in Ireland were told by Sapphire that they had raised a significant sum for Our Lady's Hospital in Dublin but this was subsequently denied by the hospital who said they had never heard of Sapphire. Moreover, some of the Irish businesses listed on a previous Sapphire wallchart did not exist.

Jacquie Roeder, the mother of Laura Crane, said they had entered into an agreement with Sapphire Media in 2006. Sapphire had agreed to fundraise £20,000 for them over two years. Ms Roeder said the trust ended its involvement with Sapphire Media in October having received just £3,520 of the money that was promised.

Sapphire spokesman Andrew Howard apologised for the behaviour of its sale staff and said they now have no business with the Laura Crane Trust and won't have in the future.