Willow Foundation - Hertfordshire

Established under Charities Aid Foundation (Reg Charity No 2683690)

For young adults suffering from cancer and other serious diseases, a break from the distressing routine of illness and treatment can make all the difference to the quality of that person's life.

And whilst there are many organisations working to grant a longed-for wish to seriously-ill children, older teenagers and young adults have until now been all but forgotten.

The Willow Foundation is committed to making a difference to the lives of those young people at a time when they - and their families - most need an escape from the day-to-day problems that long-term illness brings with it.

Established to give support to seriously ill young adults aged between 16 and 40, the Willow Foundation is dedicated to making possible a "special" day. It could be a day at a health farm or beauty therapist; a visit to a pop concert or football match; a night at the theatre or even a much longed-for weekend break - any request, however imaginative, will be considered, and the Foundation will do its best to make that request a reality.

The Willow Foundation, spearheaded by Bob Wilson and his wife Megs, is a lasting memorial to their daughter, Anna, who died from a rare form of cancer in December 1998, shortly before her 32nd birthday. After Anna's death, Bob and Megs approached hospitals and hospices to see what help they could best give to other young adults dealing with long-term illness. They were told that although the medical profession could provide the diagnosis and the treatment, they could not provide the quality of life, so important to those in the prime of their life, trying to cope with life- threatening illness.

With the support of the Welwyn & Hatfield Times, they set about forming an organisation, which would offer hope of an improved quality of life for others like Anna, and the Willow Foundation was launched on 25th August 1999.

"Anna was an amazing girl with a vibrant personality", says Bob. "She lived her life to the full. She always smiled and particularly when she became ill, she smiled even more. She wanted quality of life, quality of time. She wanted to be treated as normal. The more we lived with Anna's cancer the more we realised that special days can often do more than conventional medicine."

The Foundation is committed to raising £100,000 in its first year, initially to help young people in north and east Hertfordshire, where Anna lived and worked as a community nursing sister. Bob and Megs' hope is that, once established, the Foundation will be able to extend its work to offer much-needed respite through its special days to seriously ill young people all over the country, raising a few smiles amongst those people for whom the ability to smile is challenged daily. The name of the Foundation stems from Anna's nickname - Willow - given her by her husband Mitchell, who was married to Anna for six years. Mitchell has also designed the Foundation's logo.

If you would like information on how to apply for a special day, please contact the Willow Foundation at the address below. If you would like to support the work of the Foundation, all donations, however small, will be most gratefully received Covenants, Gift Aid donations and legacies are of special value.

Willow Foundation,  
c/o Welwyn & Hatfield Times, 
31a Howardsgate, 
Welwyn Garden City,
Herts AL8 6AP  

Tel 01707 327551