Celebrating The Lives of Nicola Owen and Jennifer Pope: Little C Club
July 2023
MOVING tributes have been paid to Nicola (Nic) Owen, who died in June 2023, aged 38.
Nic was co-founder of the Little C Club along with Jennifer Pope, who died in April 2022.
NHS nurse Nic and assistant head teacher Jen used their experience of breast cancer to help others by creating special flashcards and other materials to help families talk with their children about cancer.
Nic’s funeral was held on Wednesday 19 July, 2023.
The service was told of Nic’s irrepressible humour and love of life. Despite living with cancer from a young age, Nic didn’t allow it to stop her from achieving her dreams to work as a nurse and – even after a year out of training for cancer treatment – she graduated with a first class honours degree.
Her brother, Wes, described Nic as “a nurse, from head to toe, who loved what she did.”
“Nic’s unwavering determination and spirit serve as a beacon to all,” he said. “She was nothing short of inspirational.”
After meeting Jen at a convention in Bristol, the two mums agreed that the resources they found to talk to their children about cancer were “too morbid” and they created Little C Club to make things clearer and to help open up difficult conversations.
The unique, colourful flashcards help explain words about cancer and treatment in ways that children can understand.
They were praised by Dame Cally Palmer, national director of cancer for the NHS in England, who said: “This brilliant initiative helps to break the stigma and confusion that can come with a cancer diagnosis and I am delighted that the NHS is helping to further develop it.”
Nic leaves husband, Mat, and two children.
The East of England Cancer Alliances were proud to work in partnership with Jen and Nic to support the development of further resources through the Little C Club for the benefit of NHS patients.
These were launched at an event to coincide with the NHS 73rd birthday in July 2021.
Photographs from the launch event, held at Maggie’s Centre in Cambridge, are shared here to celebrate the lives and work of Jen and Nic, pending further discussions about taking forward their legacy.
