FRIENDS of a 15-year-old girl who died in March from Cystic Fibrosis, are organising a fundraising football tournament and sports day in her memory.
Jordan Caprani, from Stopsley, was born with the life-threatening genetic disease and sadly died on March 10.
Jordan’s friends, led by Janai Wynter, Tia Dorsett, Courtney Brown and Leith Stary, wanted to do something to celebrate her life and raise money for the charities that helped Jordan through her illness, and to pay for a headstone for her.
Janai, 16, said: “I knew Jordan from when we were children and living in the same close in Stopsley. We grew up together and went to the same school until she was too ill to go any more.
“Tia, Jordan and I were always really good friends and we just wanted to do something in her memory.
“The main thing is for everyone that loves and misses her to get together as not everyone went to her funeral, so it will be nice for us all to be there and do something worthwhile.
“Jordan was so friendly and outgoing so she would have liked something like this. She is missed so much.” The fundraising day, ‘Just for Jordz’ on Sunday, July 10 will take place on the four-month anniversary of Jordan’s death, which Janai said will make the day even more significant and emotional.
Activities will include a five-a-side football tournament and a mini sports event as well as a bouncy castle, face paints, cupcake decorating, music and Caribbean food.
Luton Sixth Form student Janai said: “Jordan was interested in football from when she was younger so that’s why we thought we’d do a tournament. But I know sometimes girls don’t want to join in football with the boys so we also created the mini sports event.
“We made the obstacle course for it and Tia and I tried it out and it was actually really good fun, we had such a laugh. We’ve had really good feedback on that so hopefully it will be great on the day. It feels good doing something positive and fun for Jordan.”
The event at Stopsley High School, will raise money primarily for Jordan’s headstone and the Luton and Dunstable Hospital, but the friends hope to make it a yearly event and fundraise for Great Ormond Street and the Cystic Fibrosis Trust in the future.
Janai said: “All our families and friends have been really supportive. It’s a lot to organise but we really wanted to do this and make sure it’s successful so we have been working really hard. We just want as many people as possible to come along and support us, whether they knew Jordan or not.”
Cystic Fibrosis is one of the most common life threatening inherited diseases in the UK and every week five babies are born with it and two young lives are lost to it.
Jenni Leigh, 20, from Leagrave, met Jordan when they were in the children’s ward together a few years ago.
Jenni suffers from cystic fibrosis herself and writes a blog about living with the disease.
Jenni said: “There were a group of us with cystic fibrosis who were regular in-patients on the children’s ward so we became friends. Jordan was one of the youngest and I met her a few times.
“As cystic fibrosis sufferers we aren’t meant to spend too much time together in case of cross infection so social networking sites like Facebook and MSN are really important to us and a really good way to keep in touch. It helps to know other young people who are going through the same thing, and I always know that when I’m feeling down there is someone I can talk to online who knows exactly what I’m going through.”
For more information about Just for Jordz or to submit a team for the football tournament or mini-sports event call 0845 257 1000 or 07522 275186, or search Just for Jordz on Facebook.
You can read Jenni’s blog at: http://impossibledaydreams.blogspot.com.