A MOTHER who devastatingly lost her two-year-old daughter to a brain tumour is now helping to fund the fight against brain cancer.

Michelle De La Motte-Rice, 38, from Shoreham, has teamed up with Funkylush Events to organise a charity ball in aid of Brain Tumour Research.

The ball will be held in memory of her daughter Lola, who died from a brain tumour in 2006 aged two years and eight months. It was less than a week after she first fell ill.

Michelle said: “Brain tumours were something that we never knew about. There was no information and three doctors misdiagnosed her as having a tummy bug.

“People just don’t know enough about it, but if more research was done then maybe there would be another way to help people.”

Brighton-born Michelle is hoping The Brighton Charity Ball, being held on October 4 at the Hilton Brighton Metropole Hotel, will raise both the profile and funding of research.

Michelle is hoping that if the ball is a success, it could become an annual event to raise money for Brain Tumour Research.

She said: “To me, the ball will always be in memory of Lola, but there are so many other people affected by brain tumours. We want to find a cure.”

The evening will be held in the Clarence Room. It includes a drinks reception, three-course meal and a grand party into the night. The ball’s line-up boasts DJs, singers, live bands and showgirls selling raffle tickets with prizes donated from Brighton businesses. They include Nightclub Bohemia, in Meeting House Lane, pizzeria La Cucina, in Montpelier Place, and the Brighton Wheel, and Michelle is encouraging more businesses to get in touch and support the event with raffle prizes.

Michelle Bowdidge, regional fundraising manager for Brain Tumour Research, will give a speech at the ball explaining how the profits will be used.

Ms Bowdidge said: “We are immensely grateful to our hard-working fundraisers and supporters who are helping raise the millions needed to fund what researchers are calling ‘the last battleground against cancer’.

“Around 650 people are diagnosed with brain tumours in the south east each year, but brain tumours receive just 1% of the national cancer research spend. At this rate, it could take another 100 years to find a cure.”

The Brighton Charity Ball is also being sponsored by Funkylush events and Profile Model Management, where Michelle worked as a head booker.

She said: “It’s so lovely that everyone is there supporting us. Without them, I couldn’t have done this.”

Michelle has been supporting the charity for many years, donating 10 per cent of profits from her own business Gifts For Angels, which was set up three years after Lola’s passing and sells graveside ornaments and vases.

Working with her family, Michelle designed a range of funky cherubs and colourful long-wearing vases for Gifts For Angels, which also has jewellery, keepsake boxes and sympathy cards and gifts.

Michelle said: “There was nothing like this on sale when Lola died, and I wanted something bright and beautiful, like Lola was.”