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Team Jak is a local charity that provides emotional, social and practical support to children and young people with cancer and their families. The charity have a number of locations across Scotland, known as Jak’s Den’s but the chairties reach extends beyond these location to ensure no family faces their journey alone.

It all started back in January 2015 when 15-year old, Jak Trueman suddenly became unwell. Doctors discovered a rare and aggressive form of cancer, giving him only a year to live. Jak felt inspired to document his journey and share his experiences to raise awareness. His campaign raised nearly £100,000, which was distributed to various cancer charities.

When undergoing treatment, Jak recognised a significant gap in the support available for young people with cancer. He saw a need for a non-clinical, safe space where children, young people and their families could escape the emotional and physical trauma of treatment.  He envisioned a "den" where he could hang out with friends and family, relax, listen to music, and have fun without the fear of infection.

In his final days, Jak unveiled this ambition and charged his mum, Alison Barr, to make his dream a reality and set up a Den as he envisioned. The first Jak’s Den was opened in December 2015, in Livingston, before another Den opened in Aberdeen. As demand had grown, the original Livingston location was extended in 2019 to accommodate the increasing number of families that they support.

More recently, Team Jak have introduced pop-up den’s in Fife and Glasgow. The pop-up dens are a calm and welcoming space for children and young people being treated for cancer and serious illnesses. They offer a range of emotional, practical and social support services.

But Team Jak knows that not everyone can come to them. That's why a key part of their work is outreach. The charity actively visits children and families in hospitals and at home, bringing their support directly to those who need it most. They also work with schools to support young people, their classmates, and teachers, helping everyone navigate the challenges of a cancer diagnosis. This ensures their support is truly holistic, meeting families wherever they are.

The charity provides a wide range of services including:

• Emotional Support: Offering one-to-one and group counselling, music therapy, and bespoke support programmes to help children and their families navigate the emotional toll of cancer.
• Social Support: Creating opportunities for connection and fun through a variety of activities, from art and crafts and game sessions to coffee mornings for parents. It's a place to laugh, connect, and feel less alone.
• Practical Support: Easing the daily pressures on families with hands-on help, such as travel grants, tutoring support, and even assistance with household tasks.
• Outreach: Team Jak provides outreach services to homes and hospitals across Scotland, ensuring that no one is left to face their journey alone.

The facilities in Livingston provide a warm, welcoming and clean space that features a games area, kitchen facilities, sensory room, and a large hall. Within the grounds, there are three outdoor pods, comprising a health and beauty treatment room for families, a room styled like a home from home for counselling and other support services and a children's room equipped with musical instruments and toys.

As part of SPA’s volunteering initiative, each employee is given two and a half days to volunteer within their local area. Made up of a day and a half for personal volunteering and a day for team volunteering. It's an opportunity for our employees to make a difference for a cause they care about. 

It was a pleasure to revisit Team Jak nine months after our last visit and hear about their impressive progress and fundraising success. In the run-up to Christmas, our team helped them wrap hundreds of selection boxes for the children they support. Once again, Team Jak were well-organised and prepared a full list of tasks for us to get stuck into, which included things like gardening, applying wood stain, cleaning the outdoor pods and other tasks related to their preparation for the highly anticipated Jak’s Fest, an annual fundraising event at the Kelpies in Falkirk.

Jaks Fest is a fun-filled day that celebrates the anniversary of the charity and Jak's birthday, featuring music, cars, food, and family activities.

Team Jak's story is a powerful testament to the legacy of a young person who saw a need and inspired a movement. From a single den to a comprehensive network of emotional, social, and practical support, the charity ensures that no child or family has to face the cancer journey alone.