Following Rund’s support of The Tom Bowdidge Youth Cancer Foundation throughout 2017, this fabulous charity has helped so many young people over the past year that we’re proud to announce our continued support of their amazing work throughout 2018.
The Tom Bowdidge Youth Cancer Foundation is a charitable foundation, founded on 28th February 2014 in memory of Tom Bowdidge. Tom died of a desmoplastic small round cell tumour and extensive peritoneal disease in October 2013, at the age of 19. The Tom Bowdidge Youth Cancer Foundation was founded and launched by Tom’s parents, Richard and Nikki, on what would have been Tom’s 20th birthday.
Helping young people with cancer
The foundation gave more than £200,000 in 2017 to help young people with cancer, including £35,000 in individual grants. Grants have helped youngsters in palliative care in various ways, from going on holiday with their family, buying computers to continue their school work and keep in touch with friends, to helping one boy buy new clothes following a change in weight.
Bigger grants have also provided a two-chair chemotherapy bay at a cancer centre and a recreation room in University College London Hospital where 19 – 25-year-olds can socialise and meet with youth support workers. More than £4,500 was also spent on three workshops, helping young people to return to education or employment and prepare for a future beyond cancer.
Further to these wonderful grants, the foundation has donated more than £82,000 to the Institute of Cancer Research to develop targeted treatments for teenagers with Desmoplastic Small Round Cell Tumours and other sarcomas.
Rund's wonderful support
Richard Bowdidge, Founder of The Tom Bowdidge Youth Cancer Foundation said: “Thank you so much for Rund’s wonderful support during 2017 and we are so pleased that you are continuing to support us through 2018, this really means so much to us. The feedback I have received from the patients has been fantastic, they were all so grateful for your kindness”.
As a corporate partner, it’s fantastic to hear how our very own fundraising has directly affected the lives of young people. One such person is Sophie Houghton, who said: “Thank you for the Top Shop voucher that was given to me by your charity, it was very kind of you”. The foundation recently gave Sophie a grant of £1,500 to purchase a laptop so she could continue her studies during treatment. She is studying Sign Language so that, when she finishes treatment, she can get a job working with children with special needs.
At Rund, we raised over £1,600 for the foundation in 2018 and hope to raise a lot more throughout the year. We have various events planned to raise money to support the foundation help young people with cancer and fund research.
Find out more about The Tom Bowdidge Youth Cancer Foundation, and how to make a donation, at www.tombowdidgefoundation.org.