Story
Hey! My name's Kyle. I am going to be cycling 4000 miles across America on April 21st 2015 for Joel's Wish in partnership with Ludlow Rotary, UK.
In 2010 I lost a close friend, Joel Lawrence, to stomach cancer when he was only 19. It was Joel's childhood dream to travel across America and visit the many popular attractions along the way. To make Joel's dream a reality we will be taking him with us in spirit, alongside his childhood teddy bear.
You can follow the journey of Joel's teddy on:
Facebook: www.facebook.com/JoelsWishUSA
Website: www.joelswish.org
What is Joel's Wish?
During Joel's illness, it was highlighted that there was a serious lack of support services, from charities and government agencies, available to Joel’s family during this extremely difficult time.
For many months after Joel’s death, his parents wished that things could have been easier and resented that what little time they had left with Joel had been spent worrying about the financial implications of cancer. Had Joel been just a few months younger, his family would have had numerous options available to them for support services. This is really why Joel’s Wish came about.
The community of Ludlow has lost a son, a brother and a true friend. Above all the sadness and suffering, together as a community, we have risen bringing change.
As friends and family of Joel, we have taken on the responsibility to dramatically improve the support services offered to young, terminally ill cancer patients within the United Kingdom. We will use Joel’s story to inspire other communities into a country wide network, ensuring everybody receives the support they rightly deserve, during their darkest days.
Joel’s Wish is for the relief and assistance of 19 to 30 year old’s in Shropshire and Herefordshire with a life-limiting cancer diagnosis.We have an on-going commitment to the Severn Hospice, who cared for Joel during his illness, through the provision of grants and funding.
To truly succeed in our ambitious yet attainable challenge, we must take Joel’s Wish to the next level. Across a continent. Across the world.