AG百家乐在线官网

Son of David Fuller mortuary abuse victim vows to set up cancer foundation in her name to help struggling families

Tom Mackelden has already raised 拢30,000 and has vowed to set up a cancer foundation in his mother's name - fuelled by a desire to turn his feelings of anger and shock into something positive.

Michael Drummond

Foreign news reporter

Monday 14 March 2022 13:34, UK

Tom Mackelden is setting up a foundation in memory of his mother Tania Mackelden (left) after finding out she was a victim of mortuary abuser David Fuller. Pic: Tom Mackelden
Image: Tom Mackelden is setting up a foundation in memory of his mother Tania Mackelden (left) after finding out she was a victim of mortuary abuser David Fuller. Pic: Tom Mackelden
Why you can trust Sky News

The son of a woman abused by double murderer David Fuller in a hospital mortuary says the experience has motivated him to fundraise in her memory.

Tania Mackelden died in 2017 following a battle with breast cancer, but it was not until years later that her family were told the heart-breaking news that she had been one of Fuller's victims.

Her son Tom has already raised £30,000 for Cancer Research UK and has vowed to set up a cancer foundation in her name - fuelled by a desire to turn his feelings of anger and shock into something positive.

He told Sky News that when police told him what happened to his mother he experienced "anger, sadness, sickness, all sort of rolled into one".

Tom Mackelden is setting up a foundation in memory of his mother Tania Mackelden (left) after finding out she was a victim of mortuary abuser David Fuller. Pic: Tom Mackelden
Image: Tom has already raised 拢30,000 for Cancer Research UK. Pic: Tom Mackelden

The 24-year-old added: "It took a long time to get my head around what I had been told.

"When I looked at a picture of my mum I saw his face.

David Fuller arriving in court
Image: David Fuller was able to hide his crimes for more than 30 years

"It was a massive shock but on the flip side it has motivated me to do what I am doing with the foundation and try and turn all this … into something really positive."

More on David Fuller

Related Topics:

Ms Mackelden was diagnosed with terminal cancer when her son was just 15.

Tom said: "She was a very, very strong lady, she fought it tooth and nail. She was still working as much as she could.

"She tried her utmost to not let it beat her."

Mr Mackelden said he felt "helpless" seeing his mother in pain, so he decided to start raising money for Cancer Research.

Tom Mackelden is setting up a foundation in memory of his mother Tania Mackelden (pictured) after finding out she was a victim of mortuary abuser David Fuller. Pic: Tom Mackelden
Image: Ms Mackelden was diagnosed with terminal cancer when her son was just 15. Pic: Tom Mackelden

Now he is starting the Tania Mackelden Foundation in her memory in a bid to help other families struggling with terminal cancer, so that they can make lasting memories with their loved ones.

The foundation, which will be run by Mr Mackelden and his family, officially launches on 9 April with a Great Gatsby-style ball.

Fuller will spend the rest of his life in jail for murdering two women and sexually assaulting dozens of corpses in hospital mortuaries.

David Fuller being questioned by police
Image: Fuller being questioned by police last year

He was able to hide his crimes for more than three decades until advanced DNA techniques identified him as the killer of two young women in Tunbridge Wells, Kent, in 1987.

It was only after his arrest in 2020 that the true horror of his crimes emerged, the fact that he had used his job as a hospital general maintenance engineer to abuse bodies.

Related Topics