The Joshua Tree celebrate its 15th birthday

Local children’s cancer charity The Joshua Tree, celebrate their 15th year supporting families affected by childhood cancers.

The Joshua Tree was founded in 2006 by Lynda and David Hill after their son was diagnosed with leukaemia and discovered a distinct lack in support services for all family members during the traumatic experience of childhood cancer.

The charity, now based in the new purpose-built support centre in Sandiway, Cheshire, have tirelessly fundraised over the past 15 years, to not only provide the family support service for the last eight years, offering vital emotional well-being support to children affected by cancers and their families, but also to build the new purpose-built support centre to develop and enhance this service.

The Joshua Tree’s new fit-for-purpose support centre has been constructed in response to the growing demand for the charity’s support service from families across the North West and North Wales affected by childhood cancers.

Completed in February 2020, the charity had just moved into its new home in Sandiway, only to be forced to vacate three weeks later because of Covid 19 restrictions. 14 months on and the team celebrate their birthday back in the newly completed centre ready to welcome families.  

Unfortunately, due the recent pandemic the charity’s major fundraising events have been cancelled, and with support costs of £4,000 a year per family, the charity needs public help more than ever to continue to support the increasing number of families affected by a childhood cancer diagnosis.

“We have finally realised the founders’ original vision with the completion of the new support centre after so many years of hard work and it is looking fantastic,” said Pippa Watson-Peck, Communications and Fundraising Manager.

“But with our major fundraising events cancelled we need support now more than ever to ensure we are able to continue to support families affected by childhood cancers and keep our fabulous new centre up and running.”

To get in touch with the fundraising team please email fundariaisng@thejoshuatree.org.uk or call 01606 331858.

The Charity’s interest in clinical research continues with the development of links with surrounding Universities to better understand the affects that childhood cancer has on a family, emotionally, cognitively, and physically. 

The focus remains at the heart of the charity, to continuing to offer support to the whole family, from diagnosis, through treatment and beyond, as specifically recognising that post-treatment can be a challenging time, when families are having to adapt to their `new normal` and the charity offers support to help bridge the gap that’s left when the safety net of treatment ends.

The Family Support Team are dedicated to working closely with families to the charity in recognising that every family’s cancer journey is unique, tailoring the services to suit the family’s specific needs, by means of emotional, academic and practical support, such as counselling, art and play therapy, health and wellbeing advice, support in and around the home and educational tutoring where required.

To date, over 220 families have been referred to The Charity.