Praise for west lothian teenager jak's lasting legacy from cabinet secretaries

THERE ARE NOW FIVE POP-UP DENS ACROSS SCOTLAND THANKS TO THE TEENAGER'S VISION 16:52, 20 May 2025 Angela Constance MSP paid tribute to a Livingston-based charity as she was joined by

Scotland’s Secretary for Health and Social Care Neil Gray MSP as it marked a decade of helping others. The MSPs, both cabinet secretaries, were visiting Jak’s Den in Livingston to mark 10

years as a registered charity in Scotland. Jak Trueman was just 15 years old when he tragically died in 2015 following a fight with delta T-cell lymphoma. The teenager from Mid Calder in

West Lothian passed away less than two weeks after being told by his cancer was untreatable. READ MORE: West Lothian entrepreneur set to climb Mount Kilimanjaro His vision was to provide a

place for young people with cancer to gather where they could listen to music, relax and chat. Six days before his death Team Jak Foundation was launched and Jak’s Den followed. There are

now five dens throughout Scotland. Article continues below Angela Constance MSP for Almond Valley who is 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.” “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.” READ MORE: West

Lothian teenager Jak's charity legacy celebrates 10-year anniversary “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.” READ MORE: Scottish SPCA urge those who are struggling

to care for their pet to reach out after dog abandoned in Livingston The charity also 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.” More info on Team Jak Foundation at: www.teamjak.org.uk Article continues below DON'T MISS THE LATEST NEWS FROM THE WEST LOTHIAN COURIER. SIGN UP TO OUR FREE NEWSLETTER

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