Thank you for taking the time to visit Frances' JustGiving page. Frances passed tragically from our lives in 2012. Frances was a loving wife, mother, daughter, teacher and friend to many. 

In remembrance of Frances we have created the "Frances Cording-Cappuccini Prize" at UCL in London. UCL is top global university with an outstanding reputation for research. We are partnering with UCL to sponsor several top performing Master's Degree students in recognition of their outstanding academic research - research that we hope will have a meaningful impact in helping to reduce childbirth-related mortality. The aim of the prize is to have the research published in a peer reviewed journal which will be accessible to scientists internationally and which we hope will ultimately translate into saving lives.

There is currently a huge need for research to be carried out and implemented in the field of maternal health to help reduce the unacceptably high levels of women dying from complications during childbirth. UCL recognises this as an issue of high priority and is a leader in translating crucial research into clinical health gains in the developed and developing world to prevent maternal deaths. 

Maternal and infant mortality is one of the most devastating global problems of our time, with more than one woman dying every minute from obstetric causes. Maternal health is a concern of women and their families both in the developed and developing world. Despite provisions and services being more widely available in the developed world there still remains an inherent risk in childbirth and the possibility of complications has not yet been eradicated. Maternal death is also an unalleviated concern in the developing world; with over three quarters of deaths during childbirth being preventable, women are suffering as a result of lack of provisions, services and education.

The UCL Institute for Women’s Health carries out world leading medical research into this area and works to implement clinical initiatives and education programmes to ensure that this research translates into lifesaving practices. MSc students are vital in ensuring that approaches to and outcomes of maternal health research are kept fresh and dynamic. It is the outstanding research carried out by young researchers who are currently the MSc student community that pushes forward academic thinking and works to translate theoretical studies into clinical innovations that are transferable to communities worldwide.  

By actively engaging with UCL Partner hospitals, industrial partners, the charity sector and government agencies, the UCL Institute for Women’s Health is able to ensure sustained improvements in the health and well-being of women, their families and society across the globe. 

Establishing a prize fund in memory of Frances for outstanding academic research in the field of Maternal Health will have an incredibly strong impact on research and clinical practices in this field. As a heartfelt legacy to Frances, the prize will be an inspirational reminder to MSc students who will be the future experts in this area; the Frances Cording-Cappuccini Prize illustrates to all those working to prevent maternal deaths the critical importance and urgent need for their work.

For further details, visit http://www.instituteforwomenshealth.ucl.ac.uk   

Your gift to UCL to establish the prize will have a significant impact in inspiring, motivating and rewarding leading MSc students who are conducting prominent lifesaving research into Maternal Health. So please dig deep and donate to this very important cause. Donating through the JustGiving site is simple, fast and secure. Your details are safe – they’ll never sell them on or send unwanted emails. Once you donate, they’ll send your money directly to the charity and make sure Gift Aid is reclaimed on every eligible donation by a UK taxpayer. So it’s the most efficient way to donate - we raise more, whilst saving time and cutting costs for Frances' prize.

Thanks for your time and consideration

Antony Sommerfeld, Adam Sommerfeld and Kelly Winstanley