Clare’s son, Adam, was diagnosed with an aggressive brain and spinal tumour in 2015. He was 8 years old.

“My son, Adam, was a typical bright, energetic little boy. He was never still, always playing outside. He ran for the school cross country team and loved running and playing football in the garden with his grandad. He loved school and had lots of friends.” - Clare Finch, R-Kids Founder & Adams Mum

At the age of 7 Adam started getting headaches, after many months of being poorly, Adam was diagnosed with the brain cancer medulloblastoma.

Adam endured a year in hospital, countless operations, high dose radiotherapy and chemotherapy, multiple blood transfusions and stem cell transplants. But he survived!

Unfortunately, this type of cure always comes with severe consequences which Adam, now 15, is still suffering from. Childhood brain tumour survivors are left with chronic illness and disabilities, struggle in mainstream school settings and find themselves becoming increasingly lonely and isolated from their peers.

The desire to help Adam find and maintain friendships led to Clare deciding to set up a charity to provide connections within Greater Manchester.

R-Kids was formed and we began the process to become a registered charity in February 2022.