Touching tribute for West Lothian teen who left 'lasting legacy' after sad passing
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An MSP has paid tribute to a West Lothian teen who left a 'lasting legacy'.
Angela Constance MSP was joined by Scotland's Secretary for Health and Social Care Neil Gray MSP as they praised the work of Livingston-based charity Jak's Den.
Jak Trueman was just 15 years old when he tragically died in 2015 following a fight with delta T-cell lymphoma, reports The Daily Record.
He passed away less than two weeks after being told his cancer was untreatable.
He hoped to provide a place for young people suffering with cancer to meet and chat, relax and listen to music.
Team Jak Foundation was launched six days before his death and Jak's Den followed soon after. There are now five dens throughout Scotland.
Angela Constance, MSP for Almond Valley and Scotland's Justice Secretary, said: 'I was pleased to visit Jak's Den in Livingston with Neil Gray MSP, Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care, as part of their 10-year anniversary to discuss how best we can continue to support the charity as they look forward to the future.
'Jak's dream to bring the community together in such a positive way has demonstrated what a remarkable young man he was. Jak's legacy has touched so many lives, thanks to his remarkable vision for improving services for others.
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'Jaks mum Allison has shown incredible strength in making Jak's dream a reality'. Both have inspired so many people to support their work and over the course of a decade have supported more than 500 families with bespoke emotional, social, and practical support, all borne through lived experience.
(Image: Team Jak Foundation)
'I have been particularly impressed with the determination and drive of staff and volunteers to make Jak's Den a reality.
"With five pop-up Dens now throughout Scotland, Jak's legacy has reached many more young people and families to ease the fear, confusion and loneliness of a cancer diagnosis or bereavement and ensure no-one feels isolated or alone'
Allison Barr, Chief Executive at TEAM JAK Foundation, said: 'It was an honour and privilege to have a very special visit from Neil and Angela to mark our Ten Year OSCR registration.
'It meant the world to have the recognition from such prestigious MSPs.
'Having created our charity at the request of my inspirational 15-year-old son Jak before he died it has been a privilege and honour to watch it grow and see all the amazing services we now provide as a result of one young person lived experience and backed up by the Scottish Government's Childhood Cancer plan and identified gap in emotional support, alongside social and practical.'
The charity has a schools outreach programme which initially supported a small number of schools when one of their children was sadly dying. Now it not only provides support to schools with children who are dying or have died, but also those children affected returning to school.
Team Jak's Bag of Worries and Bag of Hope programmes also provide bespoke wellbeing support.
Allison added: 'Here's to Jak and his amazing legacy – and to all our superhero warriors' siblings and angels, now and always."
You can find out more about Team Jak Foundation here.
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