Charlie Cookson foundation named as beneficiary of national fundraising campaign

The Charlie Cookson Foundation was launched by Sarah and Chris Cookson following the death of their son Charlie aged two, in October 2013.

Since then, the charity has supported over 50 families of seriously ill children across the country by providing help towards the financial burden of essential nursing facilities, bills, rent and other money difficulties that arise from full-time care.

The charity has been named as a beneficiary of Your Charity Lottery - a national fundraising initiative.

Sarah said: “When your child is born, the last thing you want to hear from a Consultant or Doctor is that your child won’t live a long life. We’ve now supported 53 families with £3,000 each, and we’ve seen the Foundation grow from our breakfast bar table to now have a shop in South Shields town Centre and one down at the Community Centre.

“We are absolutely delighted that Your Charity Lottery will be supporting the Foundation. We’re so grateful for the incredible support that we have from the local community, but our work is done all over the country, so to have support from outside of South Shields means so much.”

Charlie Cookson received regular hospital treatment for muscle and bone problems before also suffering from a blood disorder. In early 2012, scans also revealed that Charlie had epilepsy. He was later awarded the South Tyneside Child of Courage Award in April 2013, before passing away on 29th October 2013.

This new fundraising partnership is to reflect the national reach of the Foundation’s work, as people all over the UK face the difficulty of balancing full-time care with employment and providing for their family.

For details visit yourcharitylottery.org.uk/charlie-cookson-foundation