Early 2018, Ruth Strauss, wife of Sir Andrew Strauss the former England cricket captain, was diagnosed with an incurable lung cancer that affects non-smokers.  Ruth died less than a year later, she was 46 years old and mother to two children.  In her memory, Sir Andrew launched the Ruth Strauss Foundation. Dukes Foundation has donated to the cause to help them to:

• Provide emotional support for families to prepare for the death of a parent.
• Raise awareness of the need for more research & collaboration in the fight against non-smoking lung cancers.

They offer one to one virtual appointments with parents and primary care givers to help them start, and continue, open and honest conversations with their children about their condition.  

The support is tailored as each family has different needs and they approach similar situations very differently. The team provides emotional support, guidance and resources to parents and primary care givers to help them through the difficult time.  

They also facilitate peer support groups for teenagers and for parents/co-parents to allow them to meet with other people who also facing the death of a parent or partner to cancer.