Helping to make Christmas special for Cystic Fibrosis sufferers and their families
Helping individuals to live a full and rewarding life is the focus of the Leanne Fund - a Scottish charity that works to support cystic fibrosis sufferers and their families. And this aim has a special resonance, as it was set up in 2009 in memory of Leanne Mitchell, an inspirational young woman who died of cystic fibrosis, aged just 21.
Today, Leanne’s legacy lives on as the fund now works across the Highlands, Islands and Grampian and is one of Scotland’s leading cystic fibrosis charities. But its aim remains the same.
Through social, practical, emotional and financial assistance, the Leanne Fund helps to improve the lives of CF sufferers and their families and give them opportunities to enjoy time together to create happy and long-lasting memories. And a donation from the JEllie Foundation through our Advent campaign in December 2022 has gone towards helping those families supported by the Leanne Fund who have been affected by the rising cost of living.
The Leanne Fund was one of 25 Scottish charities, local to Aberdeen City and Shire, to benefit from the JEllie Foundation’s Christmas giveaway, with their £1,000 award revealed in a surprise put together by the JEllie team with the help of The Chester Hotel staff.
Charity co-founder, Chrisetta Mitchell, said the timely donation came as the fund was experiencing an unprecedented demand for its services.
“More and more individuals and families are struggling to manage the household finances and are often prioritising rent/heating costs over the nutrition that is vital for maintaining their wellbeing. But through the generosity of supporters such as the JEllie Foundation, more children and families will be able to access the support they need, when it is needed.”
The Advent donation has since been used to help fund the Leanne Fund’s Christmas Rainbow project, a special service which provided supermarket vouchers to help towards the cost of a family’s 2022 Christmas dinner.
“We are so grateful to Gillian and Graham and all at The JEllie Foundation for partnering with us and can assure you that this donation will make a difference to those most in need,” Chrisetta added.
