West Lothian charity Team Jak has been able to support even more families dealing with cancer thanks to its new headquarters.
Last month, its new state-of-the-art headquarters was unveiled at Ochil House, Livingston.
It now boasts indoor spaces for music and sensory play therapies, activity, media and teen zones, parent area and soft play, the new Jak’s Den will offer an outdoor activity space featuring counselling pods, a pirate ship and a reflective angel garden.
Inside they have a specially commissioned angel tree, allowing relatives to pay emotional tributes to those they have lost.
The new centre also features a new sensory play room as well as a specially designed area for teenagers with smart TV and air hockey tables.
And the charity has now been able to support and help more youngsters undergoing treatment for cancer and other serious illness and their families.
The Team Jak foundation was set up by Mid Calder teenager Jak Trueman before he died from a rare and aggressive form of the disease.
The charity opened its first hub in Livingston in 2015 to provide support for children undergoing cancer treatment and their families.
Since then staff and volunteers have supported more than 160 families all over Scotland and pop-up dens have been established in Aberdeen and Fife.
Since the new HQ opened its doors the centre has been busy organising activities for the young patients and their loved ones.
Jak’s mum, Allison Barr said she is delighted by the new centre’s popularity. She added: “Our new Jak’s Den mark 2 HQ has been a busy and happy place and all our families are making great use of our new home.
“We have had lots of fantastic activities which have taken place including our warrior and sibling Mad Hatters tea party, outdoor fun, fairy jar making, canvas painting and our every popular sweetie cake making.
“Our Bag of Worries group has been well attended and it’s a privilege to work with our warriors and siblings who are struggling with aspects of their treatment and condition.
“Our mums, grans and aunties had their first pamper evening with lots of relaxing activities on offer and our pamper pod was well and truly Christened that evening.
“Our dads and grandads had a great time the following night with their games challenge and our dartboard go its first outing.
“Our counselling pods have also been well used often both at the one time which sadly shows the need but makes us smile we can now meet it.”
Allison added: “It really has been a pleasure and huge privilege to see our families being able to come and relax in this wonderful new safe environment and share with others who understand what they are going through.”
The original Jak’s Den opened in Livingston in December 2015 providing emotional, social and practical support to children and young people from birth to 25 from all over Scotland who have been diagnosed with cancer, a related illness and their families and friends or who have sadly been bereaved.
The facility was the dream of Jak Trueman, who passed away after a brave battle with rare cancer Gama Delta T-Cell Lymphoma aged 15.
