Help Save Clart About Sensory Cafe Whilst I Fight Two Cancers

Hello everyone,

My name is Lynn, and I am the founder of Clart About Sensory Cafe, a not-for-profit community organisation supporting families across County Durham.

Clart About Sensory Cafe has never been just a play cafe. It is a safe place where parents find friendship, support, and understanding. We support families experiencing perinatal mental illness, helping to reduce isolation and reminding parents that they are never alone.

I created Clart About because I know first-hand how devastating postnatal depression can be. I wanted to create the support I wish I'd had. Since opening our doors, we have helped thousands of parents and families, and for many, the cafe has become a lifeline.

Now, I find myself facing the biggest challenge of my life.

In August last year, I was diagnosed with breast cancer. Like so many people facing cancer, I have tried to keep life as normal as possible while undergoing treatment and continuing to support the community I love.

Then, in July 2026, I received more heartbreaking news. I have been diagnosed with a completely separate primary thyroid cancer. This isn't related to my breast cancer—it's a second, unrelated cancer diagnosis that means more treatment, more surgery, more appointments, and a much longer road to recovery than we ever imagined.

As I focus on fighting both cancers, I have no choice but to step back from the day-to-day running of the Sensory Cafe for even longer. There will inevitably be days when we need to reduce our opening hours or close altogether because my health has to come first.

The hardest part isn't just worrying about my recovery. It's worrying about whether Clart About Sensory Cafe will survive while I'm unable to be there.

This cafe has become so much bigger than me. It is a place where exhausted new parents find friendship, where people struggling with their mental health feel understood, where babies take their first steps, and where families make memories that last a lifetime. Losing it would mean losing something truly special for our community.

We're asking for your help to give the cafe the breathing space it needs while I concentrate on getting better.

Every donation, no matter how big or small, will go directly towards the essential running costs of Clart About Sensory Cafe, including rent, utilities, insurance, staffing, and keeping our doors open for the families who rely on us.

If you're unable to donate, sharing our fundraiser would mean just as much. Every share helps us reach someone else who may be able to support us.

Cancer has already taken so much from our family. We're determined that it won't take away the community we've spent years building.

My hope is simple: that once my treatment is over, I can walk back through the doors of Clart About Sensory Cafe knowing it's still here, still supporting families, and still changing lives.

Thank you for every donation, every share, every message of encouragement, and every act of kindness. Your support means more than words can ever express.

With love and gratitude,

Lynn and Mark