Ann Maxwell Wins "Clarins Most Dynamisante Woman of the Year" A National UK Charity Award

PRESS RELEASE   JUNE 2008

Ann Maxwell Wins

‘Clarins Most Dynamisante Woman of the Year'

A National UK Charity Award

Ann Maxwell has won a nationwide award recognising her inspirational charity work.  The ‘Clarins Most Dynamisante Woman of the Year Award 2008' was presented to Ann in recognition of the charity she founded, The Muir Maxwell Trust, which provides vital practical support to families in the UK, struggling to cope with caring for a child suffering from severe, life-threatening epilepsy. Eventually, as Ann proclaims, life her goal is nothing less than ‘to find a cure for paediatric epilepsy'.

There are more than 70,000 children with epilepsy in the UK.  Many of these children have learning difficulties, behavioural problems and in extreme cases severe developmental delay.  Caring for a child with complex epilepsy requires twenty-four hour care.  The risk of death of a child with epilepsy while sleeping is significant and constant sleep deprivation for parents is normal. The strain on the family is immense and in most cases they have no one to turn to for support and guidance.  Ann Maxwell is one of these parents and when she discovered that her son Muir had a rare and devastating form of epilepsy called Dravet Syndrome, she made it her goal to help other families affected by the condition.

So in 2003 Ann established The Muir Maxwell Trust and over the past five years it has funded life-changing support to severely epileptic children and their families.  From lifesaving epilepsy alarms which alert parents to potentially fatal night-time seizures, to ground-breaking DNA diagnostic equipment and specialist diet clinics which help reduce the life-limiting effects of trial and error treatment.  Now 11 years old, Muir will never be able to hold a pen properly or to read. His speech is affected, he can't learn to sign either.  By the time he's a teenager he may be in a wheelchair. But says Ann, ‘Muir is one of the happiest children I know. The inspiration to all of us.'

To fund its astounding achievements, the Trust has raised over £3.5 million to date, primarily through Ann's annual fundraising balls.  And Ann's story is even more remarkable given that she herself is suffering from a rare and incurable, slow-growing cancer first diagnosed in 2005.

The search to find the UK ‘Clarins Most Dynamisante Woman of the Year 2008' was launched in January in association with You magazine.  The response was overwhelming.  From hundreds of entrants, seven exceptional finalists were selected for an in-depth panel interview.  After much deliberation, the judges decided that one woman stood out:  Ann Maxwell.

And the reward?   A difference-making cheque for £30,000 for the charity, presented to Ann by Olivier Courtin-Clarins, Clarins Managing Director, at a reception at 11 Downing Street in London in her honour.

So how will the money be spent?   Given Ann's illness and the fact that she is currently the charities main fundraiser, the Award will be allocated to the employment of a full time professional fundraiser who in year one will be tasked to raise £160,000 to purchase 300 epilepsy alarms and cover their second year's salary.

The business plan is faultless as you would expect from a former financial planner but it's Ann's dynamism and heart that make her Clarins Most Dynamisante Woman of 2008.

To interview Ann, or for further information, please contact

the Clarins Press Office on 020 7307 6791

or e-mail aisling.connaughton@clarins.co.uk