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How to donate in other ways
1 in 7 13-24 year olds are diagnosed with cancer every day in the UK and we estimate that we need to raise over £100,000 a year to continue our work.
We do not receive any government funding and rely totally on donations received from YOU. They are so important to allow the Foundation to continue its invaluable work and provide the support so desperately needed by these young people and their families.
The impact of Covid-19 is being felt by each and every one of us but none more so than our young cancer patients and
their families.
As each day passes, parents are still being told their child has cancer. Treatment is still happening, and families are still facing the huge costs that cancer brings. As we know cancer costs families an extra £600 a month and with possible further drops in income, the number of families in crisis is increasing. Many of them are facing extreme isolation and uncertainty about the future. Cancer does NOT stop for anything.
The Tom Bowdidge Youth Cancer Foundation owes it to our teenagers and young adults to continue to give our support, but we need your help. We have decided to focus our work on providing care grants to those in desperate need at this time. Our problem is that our income has stopped almost dead. We could freeze the charity until things improve BUT the young people we support need us more than ever.
They are relying on us. They need us more than ever.
We have come up with several ways you can support us with very little cost to yourselves.
Would you consider setting up a direct debit?
A regular gift means that you can give a small amount every month that can make a huge difference to our work. Your regular donation gives a predictable amount every month so that more young people with cancer can be helped.
Just click on the link above for a recurring donation – it is as easy as that.
Send a cheque
Please make cheques payable to
‘The Tom Bowdidge Youth Cancer Foundation’
and send to:-
The Tom Bowdidge
Youth Cancer Foundation
9 Firmins Court
West Bergholt
Colchester
Essex
CO6 3BQ
Do The Essex Lottery
This is a fun way of raising money for The Tom Bowdidge Youth Cancer Foundation.
The Essex Lottery is a weekly online lottery created to support local causes in Essex.
Tickets are only £1 a week!
60% goes to local causes and there are prizes up to £25,000.
Buy your tickets here.
Text your donation
Simply text
CRACKON4TOM
followed by the amount to 70085
All the money you donate comes directly to the Foundation with no commission charges.
Donate in Memory
of a Loved One
Celebrate the life of a loved one knowing you are helping young people with cancer.
Families may request donations to the Foundation in lieu of flowers at funerals and we would be happy to provide collection pots and leaflets if you required them. You may also speak to your funeral director who will make arrangements for the donations to be collected and then passed on to us, freeing you and your family from any worry.
Leave a Gift in Your Will
Leave a gift in your will and leave a lasting legacy. Your gift does not need to be large to make a difference to a young person with cancer. Every penny raised is vital to our work in supporting these young people.
Will writing is simple but can be a wonderful gift.
Every week the Tom Bowdidge Youth Cancer Foundation receives a large amount of Grant applications from Young Cancer Patients and their families, requesting monetary help. You would be forgiven for thinking this is for a treat like a Smart TV, new iPad or something fun and frivolous. But you would be wrong!
A shocking 87% of our grants are paid to help with necessities of life and to help alleviate the financial pressures a cancer diagnosis brings to a family, especially when it is a young person.
In the first instance the parent or main care often has to give up work in order to be by their child’s side. They will not receive benfits thus making a significant dent in the household income.
Many of our grant applicants have to travel great distances to the hospital where they receive their care and treatment. Sometime public transport is not an option due to the risk of infection. Indeed some patients are too weak to travel this way. This results in high taxi fares or an increase in petrol and parking costs.
Once ensconced in hospital one is faced with extra food bills and living costs, especially if based in London. Richard and Nikki know from bitter experience that Tom hated the food so they had to buy him three meals a day – a very costly business.
With one member of the family staying by the bedside of the teenager, this often means the 2nd parent or carer needs to find accommodation nearby, often at great cost. Failing this they would stay at home and travel to and fro each day. None of this money is funded nor does any help come from the Government.
Over the past few months it has become clear how much worry and upset this causes the young person who should really just be focusing on their treatment and recovery.
One of the applications that shocked the Tom Bowdidge Youth Cancer Foundation recently was for a bath chair. The young patient was very poorly and due to have an operation. He didn’t have the strength to stand up to wash or shower and needed a special bath chair to help him. Tom had one of these provided to him free for the Occupational Therapy team but apparently this is no longer a service they provide! The Foundation paid £100 to help make a difference to this young mans life.
With an increase in these applications we are launching an appeal to raise £10000. This will allow us to help, on average, 25 young people who are in desperate need at an already very worrying time.
Please will you help us to continue our invaluable work and make a difference to these young adults and teenagers.