Inspired to raise money for medical research with the aim of giving all children the chance to live a full and active life.

Sparks was founded in 1960 when disability campaigner, Duncan Guthrie, was inspired to raise money for medical research after his own daughter, Janet, contracted poliomyelitis.

Guthrie enlisted the help of some of the leading sports personalities of the day, including star footballer Jimmy Hill and cricket legend Jim Laker, to help raise funds for much needed research into childhood conditions. The aim was to give all children the chance to live a full and active life.

One of the first successes was the development of a polio vaccine that virtually eradicated the disease worldwide. Many more achievements followed, and the charity, as it is today, was formally established in 1991. The ground-breaking research continues into a wide range of conditions such as childhood cancers, spina bifida, muscular dystrophy, infant brain damage, club foot and the risks associated with premature birth.

The pioneering projects we support today are carried out at leading teaching hospitals and universities throughout the UK and continue to make a significant contribution to breakthroughs and new treatments being used by doctors all over the world.