The Olwen McPherson Trust donate £300,000 to support children and young people with cancer

The Olwen McPherson Trust has donated £300,000 to Young Lives vs Cancer, the UK’s leading cancer charity for children and young people and their families.

The grant will go towards Young Lives vs Cancer’s ‘Homes from Home’ service, which provides a free place for families to stay when their child is going through cancer treatment. The charity has 11 Homes from Home close to specialist treatment centres in eight cities across the UK, and the grant from The Olwen McPherson Trust will specifically be used towards several of its homes including Billy’s House in Nottingham, Jean’s House in Southampton and Paul’s House in London. The Homes help families avoid the extra financial burdens of travel, accommodation and food costs. They also allow young cancer patients to be close to their loved ones, keeping the family together at a difficult time.

Anne-Marie Jubber, Associate Director of Philanthropy and Partnerships at Young Lives vs Cancer, said: “We can’t thank The Olwen McPherson Trust enough for this grant. Our Homes from Home provide a lifeline for families who face the crushing reality of a childhood cancer diagnosis, and this grant will make a real difference.

“Many of our wonderful volunteers are fantastic at recommending other charities and trusts we could work with, and we are so grateful that one of our volunteers made the introduction to the trustees at The Olwen McPherson Trust .”

Samantha Jackson, Chair of The Olwen McPherson Trust said: “I am very pleased we’ve been able to help Young Lives vs Cancer with this grant. After speaking with the team at Young Lives vs Cancer and visiting some of their Homes from Home, we could see how passionate they all are about the support they provide and the families they help. The work this wonderful charity does really make a difference to the children and families they support.”

Young Lives vs Cancer help children and young people (0-25) and their families to face cancer and everything it throws at them. Their specialist social workers help families from the moment of diagnosis with emotional and financial support from helping to access grants and benefits to liaising with schools and employers, as well as being someone to talk to and to listen to what they need. The charity’s Homes from Home also offer a free place to stay nearby the hospital so families can be together.