Praise for West Lothian teenager Jak's lasting legacy from cabinet secretaries - Daily Record

Praise for West Lothian teenager Jak's lasting legacy from cabinet secretariesThere are now five pop-up dens across Scotland thanks to the teenager's visionNewsMichael Pringle16:52, 20 May

2025Jak Trueman Angela Constance MSP paid tribute to a Livingston-based charity as she was joined by Scotland’s Secretary for Health and Social Care Neil Gray MSP as it marked a decade of

helping others.

The MSPs, both cabinet secretaries, were visiting Jak’s Den in Livingston to mark 10 years as a registered charity in Scotland.

‌ Jak Trueman was just 15 years old when he tragically died in 2015 following a fight with delta T-cell lymphoma.

‌ The teenager from Mid Calder in West Lothian passed away less than two weeks after being told by his cancer was untreatable.

READ MORE: West Lothian entrepreneur set to climb Mount Kilimanjaro His vision was to provide a place for young people with cancer to gather where they could listen to music, relax and chat.

Six days before his death Team Jak Foundation was launched and Jak’s Den followed. There are now five dens throughout Scotland.

Article continues below Angela Constance MSP for Almond Valley who is Scotland's Justice Secretary, said: “I was pleased to visit Jak’s Den in Livingston with Neil Gray MSP, Cabinet

Secretary for Health and Social Care, as part of their 10-year anniversary to discuss how best we can continue to support the charity as they look forward to the future”

Neil Gray MSP and Angela Constance MSP pictured during the visit(Image: Team Jak Foundation) “Jak’s dream to bring the community together in such a positive way has demonstrated what a

remarkable young man he was. Jak’s legacy has touched so many lives, thanks to his remarkable vision for improving services for others.”

‌ “Jaks mum Allison has shown incredible strength in making Jak’s dream a reality’. Both have inspired so many people to support their work and over the course of a decade have supported

more than 500 families with bespoke emotional, social, and practical support, all borne through lived experience.”

READ MORE: West Lothian teenager Jak's charity legacy celebrates 10-year anniversary “I have been particularly impressed with the determination and drive of staff and volunteers to make

Jak’s Den a reality. With five pop-up Dens now throughout Scotland, Jak’s legacy has reached many more young people and families to ease the fear, confusion and loneliness of a cancer

diagnosis or bereavement and ensure no-one feels isolated or alone”

Allison Barr, Chief Executive at TEAM JAK Foundation, said: “It was an honour and privilege to have a very special visit from Neil and Angela to mark our Ten Year OSCR registration.

‌Jak's mum Allison(Image: West Lothian Courier) “It meant the world to have the recognition from such prestigious MSPs.

“Having created our charity at the request of my inspirational 15-year-old son Jak before he died it has been a privilege and honour to watch it grow and see all the amazing services we now

provide as a result of one young person lived experience and backed up by the Scottish Government’s Childhood Cancer plan and identified gap in emotional support, alongside social and

practical.”

‌READ MORE: Scottish SPCA urge those who are struggling to care for their pet to reach out after dog abandoned in Livingston The charity also has a schools outreach programme which initially

supported a small number of schools when one of their children was sadly dying. Now it not only provides support to schools with children who are dying or have died, but also those children

affected returning to school. Team Jak’s Bag of Worries and Bag of Hope programmes also provide bespoke wellbeing support.

Allison added: “Here’s to Jak and his amazing legacy – and to all our superhero warriors’ siblings and angels, now and always.”

More info on Team Jak Foundation at: www.teamjak.org.uk

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