Generous Daily Mirror readers raise more than £15,000 for the DSA
The Down's Syndrome Association has been given over £15,000 by readers of the Daily Mirror.
The money was raised for the Heart for Jo Appeal, run to fund a heart and lung transplant for Joanne Harris, friend of Big Brother winner Craig Phillips.
Joanne, who had Down's syndrome, died in April after catching an infection at the age of 25.
Carol Boys, chief executive of the DSA, praised the Mirror's readers, saying: "This could not have come at a better time. The credit crunch has meant people are not giving as much money, so thanks to all the Mirror's wonderful readers."
Mirror readers gave £17,620 and £2,243 paid for equipment to help Joanne. The £15,377 left has been donated to the DSA.
Joanne's mother Marion told the Shrewsbury Chronicle: "I just didn't want Jo to be forgotten. We had a real battle with the government and medical authorities a few years ago as they wouldn't treat Jo, and I would like to think we changed their attitudes. But this has really been a hard year."
The Heart for Jo Appeal raised around £240,000 in total, £140,000 of which has been given to charities including the DSA, the Down's Heart Group, Shropshire Air Ambulance and Great Ormond Street Hospital.
About £100,000 has been held back to build a new conservatory called Jo's Sunshine Room at Abbotswood Day Centre in Monkmoor, although negotiations over the plans are ongoing.
Joanne was a big part of the DSA's Health Alert campaign in the late 1990s. She spoke at government meetings about the discrimination faced by people with Down's syndrome in the health service.