A mum who lost her beloved son to cancer at just 15 years old has looked back with pride at what he achieved on the anniversary of his passing.
Jak Trueman lost his brave battle with a rare but aggressive cancer seven years ago this month.
But before he died he set up the charity Team Jak with mum Allison Barr to help other young people going through treatment for cancer or other life-limiting conditions.
Since then the charity has set up a centre for young people and their families in Livingston – Jak’s Den – along with other sites in Fife and Aberdeen.
The centres offer loving and welcoming spaces for children and their families and staff and volunteers offer invaluable support and care along with all-important fun, to take their minds off treatment.
And while Allison says she’d rather she had Jak wth her and his sister Aimie, knowing how many people he has helped makes getting through each day “a little easier”.
She said: “I miss everything about him, most especially his smile, hugs and general presence in the house.
“His smile always lit up our lives and his wicked sense of humour too.
“I miss watching him play football, listening to him in the band with his tuba and watching him in the house with his mates and girlfriend Hannah and hearing the buzz and laughter of them all being around.
“And I miss not seeing him grow into the amazing young man I knew he would be.”
Allison said she gets through the hardest of days by throwing herself into “making his dreams a reality”.
She thinks he would be quietly proud of the legacy he left behind, adding: “I think in true Jak style he wouldn’t say much, he’d be quietly chuffed, but you would most definitely know by that huge smile he would have all over his face.”
Allison said she and her family marked Jak’s “Angelversary” last Thursday by visiting his resting place in Edinburgh – and making sure her phone alarm goes off with one of his favourite songs at 3.18pm, the time he “gained his wings.”
Looking to the future, Allison said the charity is finally
getting back to normality after covid and providing the full range of services.
“We’ve slowly reopened all our activities within Jaks Den HQ.
“We have also hosted a number of bell ringing parties in Jaks Den for children who have successfully completed treatment and rejoiced with them.
“But on the flip side we also have a very busy Angel Family group that meets once a month where we do memory-making activities with the children and young people and parents and grandparents have a coffee and chat then we all come together for a meal.
“We have also continued some of our activities online to reach more remote areas throughout Scotland or for those without transport including parent patter, angel parent patter, games sessions and TJAM music monthly.
“Another huge exciting development for us in the last few months has been returning to the oncology wards in Glasgow and Edinburgh hospitals and having our music therapist in Glasgow ward also.
“We now have 389 families registered throughout Scotland and we believe that may reach 500 by the end of the year due to us now being on the wards and reaching more families weekly also.
“It’s wonderful to know that all of Jak’s wishes are now being fulfilled and more.”
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