One of the toughest tests any family with children can face, is the news that a parent doesn't have long to live. In the UK around 41,000 children under the age of 18 suffer the death of a parent each year; the equivalent of 112 every day.

Ruth and Andrew fortunately found support to help prepare their family for Ruths death, but this help is not widely available and healthcare professionals often feel ill-equipped to guide parents on how to talk to their children.

The Ruth Strauss Foundation believes that every family facing the death of a parent from cancer should be offered emotional support to help prepare for their childrens futures.

We are working with healthcare professionals to design a training programme that will help them be more confident in supporting families when they need it most.

Please give as generously as you can, together we will be able to support more families as they face one of life's toughest tests.