The Ella Dawson Foundation
The Ella Dawson Foundation has been established to provide help and support to young adults and their families in the UK who are sadly affected by a cancer diagnosis. Our family run charity has been created in honour of and as a legacy to our daughter, sister and partner, Ella Dawson, who sadly passed away in July 2021 after her tenacious 2 year battle with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia.
Ella was a successful 24 year old aspiring artist with a great passion for travel, nature, yoga and love for life and people! In August 2019, whilst travelling in Colombia, shortly after graduating from Newcastle University, Ella was diagnosed with PH+ ALL, a rare and aggressive form of blood cancer.
Since that time, Ella was under almost constant treatment, including over 70 Chemotherapy infusions, 6 months of Immunotherapy, several rounds of radiotherapy followed by CAR-T therapy and a gruelling Stem Cell Transplant in October 2020.
Despite the extent of this treatment regime, this aggressive cancer kept coming back and sadly, Ella was given a terminal diagnosis in January 2021 of weeks/months. In June 2021 Ella experienced the biggest blow ever when her acceptance on a CAR -T clinical trial in the US ( a potential cure) was cancelled merely a few hours before she was due to board the plane to the States. Unfortunately, Ella's condition deteriorated after this and she sadly passed away in July, 2021.
Despite her life situation, Ella was always a true inspiration and she faced every day with gratitude, positivity, incredible strength, bravery and humour. She took every opportunity to use her experience to help others. Following her diagnosis, Ella was determined to learn everything she could about the disease and how to best manage the condition through both conventional and complimentary therapies from around the world. She saw this as vital to help her withstand 2 years of gruelling treatment as well as allowing her to thrive and live happily every single day despite her progressing illness.
In 2019, to help others who find themselves with a similar diagnosis, Ella created a successful blog of her health journey including advice on nutrition, exercise and staying positive during treatment. She worked closely with blood cancer charities to help and support others and she continued to develop her extensive knowledge of physical and mental health, wellbeing and self-healing which inevitably increased her quality of life, mental strength and appreciation of life. We are so proud of the incredible inspirational person she was and everything she achieved.
Being diagnosed with cancer at any age is tough. As a young person , just embarking on adult life, there are not only the physical and emotional challenges a cancer diagnosis brings but often also loneliness, isolation , uncertainty and anxiety. Treatment regimes can often be harsh and are often associated with long periods of hospitalisation and compromised immune systems. This can pose significant challenges to physical and mental health and self esteem where additional support and help is often needed.
With the extensive knowledge and experience Ella and her family amassed over 2 years, The Ella Dawson Foundation has been created with the aim of helping young people to live as well and as empowered as possible despite a cancer diagnosis. Our charity will aim to help young people and families to access support right from initial diagnosis through their whole journey battling this hideous disease. This will include help with nutrition, physical and mental wellbeing and working with medical teams.
We thank you for your support on our journey to create a successful charity, a charity which has been created with a warm heart and a
huge ambition. Our registered charity number will be published shortly.
