“STAND FOR helped me fight my corner.”
Lauren has Cerebral Palsy and relies on a second skin body suit to support her spine. When access to funding was about to be removed, Stand For stepped in to help her fight her corner.
The Stand For Family
Their stories. Their words.
Real young people, real challenges, real outcomes, told by the people Stand For has stood beside.
“Without STAND FOR, I dread to think where we would be now.”
In October 2011, Howard suffered a massive brain stem stroke that left him able to move only his eyelids. Stand For supported his family and helped establish a trust.
“STAND FOR challenged the ‘no’ and made it a ‘yes’, which is why my three young children still have their mum.”
A 42-year-old single mum raising three children while working. After the NHS deemed her gallstone inoperable, Stand For arranged specialist private surgery in London.
“Without STAND FOR, we would not have been able to pay bills or the mortgage. We most likely would have lost our home.”
A 19-year-old full-time student supporting her mother through redundancy, bereavement and depression. Stand For listened, provided practical support, and helped restore stability.
“STAND FOR helped provide positivity and hope over the worst 6 months of our lives”
Abby was 24 when she was diagnosed with a very rare and highly aggressive Neuroendocrine Lung cancer. Stand For, then operating in embryonic form, helped her family find specialist care and held on to hope through the hardest six months of their lives.
“An organisation like STAND FOR, that gives you a real helping hand, makes the whole situation that much easier.”
A 19-year-old full-time student and elder brother to a young man with profound needs. Brandon could not find work he could travel to, so Stand For paid for his driving lessons and provided a fully insured car.
“It was random kindness and support that we never expected!”
Lindsay has inoperable ovarian cancer after her illness was repeatedly misdiagnosed by local GPs. When NHS services said they could not refer her to the Royal Marsden, Stand For intervened and secured a referral to a world renowned specialist surgeon.
“An amazing opportunity that I never would’ve been able to take without STAND FOR’s support.”
Wilamena is 16 and has Tourette’s Syndrome. Stand For sent her to the Tim Howard Leadership Academy in New Jersey, and she is now working with Tourettes Action to build a similar programme for young advocates in the UK.
“STAND FOR gave me more than somewhere safe to live.”
Lola is 23, autistic and has severe dyscalculia. When suitable accommodation was the last barrier standing between her and a place at the University of Winchester, Stand For funded it for all three years of her degree. She graduated with First Class Honours.
“What STAND FOR did was so generous and so kind.”
Morven has just turned three and lives in West Cornwall. Diagnosed at five days old with STXBP1, a very rare neurological condition, his family were told he may never walk. Stand For backed his Trexo walker campaign and match funded the family’s golf day.
“Just having someone else say, we can help with that, was huge.”
Holly is 20 and lives on the Lizard peninsula. A horse riding accident at 15 left her with a traumatic brain injury. When the treatment she needed for her dystonia meant travelling to Bristol every three months, Stand For opened the right doors and offered to fund it privately. In the end the NHS stepped in, and other families in Cornwall benefited too.
“The genuine care and empathy provided by STAND FOR, was certainly a key factor in keeping our family from falling into a very dark place.”
When Danny Nightingale was wrongly court-martialled and imprisoned just before Christmas 2012, his wife Sally and their two young girls faced eviction. Stand For stepped in so the family kept their home.
“Thanks to STAND FOR, we now play and look like a top-class team that represents Cornwall with pride.”
Year-round sports training and competition for people with learning difficulties. Stand For funded travel to the National Games and Anniversary Games, plus competition kit and championship boccia balls.
“As an ex Penzance Cricketer, Neil offered his support via STAND FOR to help build a new Cricket Academy. Without STAND FOR none of this would have been possible!”
For years the club had hoped to give young people in Penzance and West Penwith a safe, welcoming place to play cricket. Stand For helped them build a new Cricket Academy.
“Every year STAND FOR has been continually welcoming to our sponsor requests, which has proved hugely beneficial to the organisers and participants.”
One of the biggest youth cricket festivals in the UK, now in its 33rd year. Stand For funded a floodlight solution so young players could experience playing under lights, as they have seen their heroes do.
“STAND FOR‘s donation was essential to us surviving in a short period where the project could have collapsed.”
A home-grown project helping young entrepreneurs in Penzance and West Cornwall run their own market businesses. Neil spoke to the young traders, and Stand For’s donation kept the project alive at a critical moment.
No stories match that category yet.
“STAND FOR challenged the ‘no’ and made it a ‘yes’ which is why my three young children still have their mum.”
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Help a young person get their fair chance.
Talk to the team about supporting Stand For, whether that’s a direct contribution or by referring a young person we may be able to help.