My name is Lisa Connell. I have been living with an inoperable meningioma brain tumour since 2006. From the very beginning, I made a decision that if I was going to face something this frightening, I wanted my experience to mean something. My mission became raising awareness of brain tumours and supporting organisations funding life saving research.

In 2010 I launched Rent A Date For Charity, which gained worldwide attention and raised more than £50,000 for brain tumour causes. Unfortunately, my health challenges later forced me to pause the project, but my determination to help others never went away.

Over the years my advocacy work has continued to grow. I am now proud to serve as a Patron of Yorkshire’s Brain Tumour Charity and a high profile supporter of The Brain Tumour Charity. Their recognition means a great deal to me and reflects many years spent raising awareness, speaking openly about life with a brain tumour, and supporting the wider community.

Since 2020 my tumour has slowly begun growing again. Thankfully my most recent MRI showed a period of stability, which has given me a precious window of time to focus on something I care deeply about. At the end of March 2026 I have my next MRI scan, and like many people living with a brain tumour, scanxiety is very real. While I cannot control what the results will bring, I can control how I use the time I have right now.

I also have my miracle daughter Ruby by my side. She is soon to be 10 years old, fearless, and the reason I keep pushing forward to build something meaningful for the future.

That mission is Influential Stars.

Influential Stars is a purpose driven fundraising platform designed to help people turn their influence into meaningful support for causes across the UK. Anyone with a BIG heart can take part. Creators, public figures and everyday supporters can host campaigns, experiences or meet and greets in support of causes close to their hearts.

People can also join as collaborators by simply introducing others from their network who may wish to run a campaign and support a cause.

The platform supports registered UK charities as well as crowdfunding pages for individuals facing life limiting illnesses. This flexibility allows us to support real people and real causes as they arise.

Over the past two years the platform has evolved significantly behind the scenes. In many ways, the relaunch in January marked the real starting point. The structure is now in place, the systems are ready, and momentum is building.

We already have charities and crowdfunding campaigns registered on the platform, and more are continuing to join as they see the mission behind Influential Stars and believe in what we are building together.

What we need now is people.

More creators hosting campaigns. More collaborators introducing people from their networks. More supporters helping campaigns reach the audiences who want to make a difference.

For the past two years I have personally funded the development and running of Influential Stars myself. As a single parent, these costs come directly from my own pocket.

The platform currently costs around £400 each month simply to keep it running. This covers the essential technology behind the platform including website hosting, software systems, email platforms and integrations that allow campaigns, charities and supporters to connect smoothly.

To help support these running costs while the platform continues growing, I have set a modest goal of £1,000.

This is not about profit. It simply helps keep the platform running while we continue expanding the community of creators, collaborators and charities working together through Influential Stars.

Whether you can contribute £2 or £200, every bit of support helps keep this vision alive. If donating is not possible, you can still make a huge difference by sharing Influential Stars, registering as a creator, or joining as a collaborator and introducing others who may wish to support a cause.

More than anything, this is about turning a difficult journey into something positive that helps others. It is about building something Ruby and I can be proud of. A platform built on generosity, connection and impact that continues supporting people and causes across the UK.

From the bottom of my heart, thank you for being part of this journey.