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HDA news - publicity, events and fundraising Perfect days with the Willow FoundationDecember 2006Do you know someone who deserves a perfect day? The Willow Foundation is a national charity that provides quality of life and quality of time for seriously ill young adults (aged 16-40) through the provision of special days. The Foundation defines seriously ill as any condition that is life threatening. To date special days have been organised for young adults living with, amongst others: cancer, huntingtons, motor neurone disease, cystic fibrosis, heart disease, organ failure and the later stages of multiple sclerosis. All applications must meet the Foundation’s medical criteria and be endorsed by a medical professional involved in the individual’s care.
The aim of any special day is to offer 'time out' from treatment and allow seriously ill young adults to spend quality time with friends and/or family whilst pursuing an activity they all enjoy. Each special day is entirely of the applicant's choosing and is organised in meticulous detail. The Foundation funds every aspect of the chosen special day. For some, a special day is their last chance to fulfil a dream. For others it is the opportunity to return some normality back into their lives. But for all, a special day creates precious memories for the future. To date the charity has organised and funded more than 1800 special days. It is the Foundation's aim to offer a special day to every seriously ill young adult (aged 16-40) in the UK. The Willow Foundation was founded by Bob Wilson and his wife Megs as a lasting memorial to their daughter, Anna, who died of cancer aged 31. Bob Wilson is the former Arsenal and Scotland goalkeeper and TV presenter. How to applyIf you know someone who might benefit from a special day, or if you would like to apply yourself, the Special Day application form can be downloaded from the Willow Foundation’s website: www.willowfoundation.org.uk Alternatively call 01707 259777 to request an application form to be sent to you by post. Application guidelinesAll applications must meet one or more of the following criteria:
In exceptional circumstances, applications from young adults may be considered within a short time of receiving intensive and debilitating treatment for a life-threatening illness. Special day activitiesSome of the most popular special day requests have included:
Amar meets the England TeamAmar was lucky enough to personally wish the England team ‘good luck’ for the World Cup finals when he got to meet them at The Grove Training Ground near Watford on a very special afternoon organised by the Willow Foundation.
18-year-old Amar from Stratford suffers from Huntingtons Chorea. He is currently studying Business and IT at Leyton Sixth Form College. A huge fan of Manchester United and David Beckham, Amar was thrilled to meet the star, who is also his favourite England player. “My sister, mum and uncle and I watched the squad train for two hours and then we had our photos taken with some of the team. David Beckham was fantastic – he made a special effort to spend time with me, to ask me how I was doing and to make sure I got my picture taken with him. He also called my sister over, who was over the moon to meet him. We’re all really grateful to Willow for arranging such a nice day for us.” Bob Wilson said: "We are delighted that Willow – with the very generous support of the FA – was able to arrange for Amar’s dream to meet his football hero come true, and that he and his family spent such a lovely afternoon at The Grove.” ContactTo find out more about the Willow Foundation go to: www.willowfoundation.org.uk or call 01707 259777.
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