Legacy of charity fund set up to help Shropshire boy with cancer treatment continues

Zac's Fund was originally started in 2018, setting out to raise £500,000 so four-year-old Zac Oliver of Broseley could be treated in Philadelphia for a rare strain of lymphoblastic leukaemia.

The community fundraising proved a huge success as Zac was able to receive treatment, and six years later, he remains cancer free.

The legacy of the fundraising effort is now being continued through the Shropshire Community Foundation in partnership with Zac's family to provide financial support to children and young people with cancer.

The foundation distributed it first round of grants earlier this year where six were awarded to three charities working with children with cancer, as well as three individuals.

Now, the foundation is appealing for applications for a second round of grants - totalling £12,000 - that can be used to support children and young people up to, and including, 21-years-old of age with a cancer diagnosis across Shropshire and Telford & Wrekin.

Shropshire Community Foundation trustee Sonia Roberts MBE said: "We are very proud to have been trusted with the legacy of Zac's Fund. This amazing community fund raising effort which helped to save Zac’s life is now being used to support young people in similar circumstances."

The grants are open to individuals, families and organisations, and each award is "tailored to the project and scope of work involved".

Applicants can cover a wide range of ways of supporting a child or young person with cancer including interventions, education, charities, days out, research or treatment.

Sonia added that whilst there is no limit set on the amount of individual grants, the foundation is aiming to help as many organisations as possible.

"A cancer diagnosis for a child or young person is a devastating experience for the individual and everyone around them," she added. "We hope that a grant from Zac's Fund could help those families find a way through the diagnosis and lighten the burden at such a difficult time."

The fund is open to applications from Shropshire and Telford & Wrekin, although awards can be made "under special circumstances" to applicants from outside the county.

Applications opened on October 25 and close on December 4. Applicants will be notified if they have been successful on February 1 next year.

Further information on the grants and how to apply is available at shropshirecommunityfoundation.org.uk/open-grants/a-gift-from-zac