| The YJS Charitable Trust was set up in 2004 in memory of Yvonne Stewart. The Trust was founded by her three children, Daniel, Nina and Alex who all remain trustees. |
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| The story begins in July 2002 when Yvonne was diagnosed with Lung cancer. She had never smoked. Her fight against the disease started immediately, but was sadly lost in September 2003, days short of her 57th birthday, despite the efforts of her oncologist Neville Davidson and the staff at the Nuffield hospital in Brentwood. |
| The Trust raises money through a variety of events and the Trustees distribute funds raised to causes they believe Yvonne would have wanted to support. The board of Trustees is made up of her three children, Daniel, Nina (Secretary) and Alex (Chairman) and two long standing friends, Brenda Overton and Frank Sharp (Treasurer). |
| The Trust began life as the Breath of Life fund, part of the British Lung Foundation at the end of 2003. Around 5000 life-long-non smokers become ill with lung related disease and cancer every year. There is a history of negativism to lung charities within the media and the general public, people believe that patients with lung cancer somehow deserve to die. As a trust we know this not to be true. |
| By the end of 2004 the trust had registered with the charities commission in its own right. This enabled the trustees to support a wider range of good causes and not only the British Lung Foundation. |
| Since inception the trust has also supported Careline UK which is a telephone counselling service that Yvonne supported while she was alive and the trustees believe it is right to maintain that support. Careline aims to provide a confidential, empathetic and supportive crisis telephone counselling service to children, young people and adults. |
| The trustees of the YJS Trust decided in 2006 that they would support good causes that promoted Alternative Therapies for cancer patients and their families. Yvonne used alternative treatments throughout her whole life not only during her fight against cancer. |
| In 2007 the Trust had a chance meeting with the Chief Executive of the Helen Rollason Heal Cancer Charity; right away it was clear that both organisations shared the shame views. From the beginning of 2008 the YJS Trust will be dedicating fund raising efforts for the Helen Rollason Heal Cancer Charity. Specifically in aid of a new alternative treatment centre in Chelmsford. In return for this support the new Centre will have a wing named after Yvonne. The trustees believe that this will be a long lasting and fitting tribute to her memory. |
| Your donations ARE helping and WILL continue to make a difference. |
On behalf of the YJS Charitable Trust I would like to thank you for your support.
Regards,
Alex Stewart; Chairman, YJS Trust |
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