About Our Charity
Originally the Opie Jones Foundation the charity was set up to support families, who had been through the diagnosis and treatment of childhood cancer. In 2020 Lucy and Lewis' son Opie was diagnosed with Leukaemia, and were thrown into the world of paediatric cancer within hours of taking him to the GP.
Opie had months of chemotherapy and a stem cell transplant, before he relapsed. He was then eligible for Car-T Therapy which saved his life. When Opie finally came home, and the hospital stays slowly became a distant memory it was then the full impact of what had happened hit home. Needing support that was more personalised through private therapy, Lucy and Lewis wanted to help other families, and in 2022 successfully registered the Opie Jones Foundation as UK charity with the Charity Commission.
In 2025, as Opie gets older, it was decided a new name for the charity was needed and Thrive Foundation begun.
Our Vision
We believe support for the whole family is needed when a child is diagnosed with cancer. It takes a village to raise a child and more so when a child is diagnosed with cancer. The ripple effect of childhood cancer treatment is far reaching. Not just during treatment but after treatment ends. We want to see personalised support for parents/carers and siblings to begin when a child is diagnosed with cancer. A holistic approach which doesn't end when treatment does.
We believe that innovative, kinder treatments like CAR-T therapy should be accessible to all children from the start, not just as a last resort. These advanced therapies offer fewer side effects and a more compassionate approach to care, and we are dedicated to making them widely available.
Our Goals
- Support Families: We fund emotional and mental health support for families affected by affected by a child’s cancer diagnosis.
- Advocate for Change: We campaign for wider availability of kinder, approved cell and gene therapies to improve outcomes for children with cancer.
- Raise Awareness: Educating the public and professionals about childhood cancers and highlighting the benefits of kinder, innovate cell and gene therapies.
- Local support - for families within Cambridgeshire provide access to a support group for parents/carers. With care packages for families currently being cared for at Addenbrookes Cambridge, coming soon.
Childhood cancer brings immense challenges, but no family should face them alone. Through support, advocacy, and awareness, we aim to make a lasting difference in the lives of children and their families.
Join us in our mission to bring hope and better outcomes to those who need it most. If you'd like to get involved or learn more, we would love to hear from you.
