our story
The Charlie & Carter Foundation was created in 2013, after Charlie’s parents spent two and half years fighting for a better quality of life for their son. Sarah and Christopher Cookson had to reduce their working hours to care for Charlie full-time and know only too well how difficult it can be coping with the stresses and strains of everyday life on top of caring for a seriously ill child. When their worst nightmare came true and Charlie passed away, they set up the Charlie Cookson Foundation, now the Charlie & Carter Foundation, in his honour to offer financial support to families of children with serious illnesses. In December 2018 Carter was born, but it was quickly discovered that he needed a heart transplant mere hours after he was born. A short campaign to find Carter a heart spread throughout Britain but, unfortunately, Carter passed away before a donor was found. The Charlie and Carter Foundation now also aim to raise awareness of organ donation.
find out more about the charlie and carter foundation
what we do
The objects of the Foundation are:
Providing financial support to families with a child with a life-limiting condition which requires 24 hour nursing care or specialist facilities so that the parents or carers may help care for the child
Providing support, information, guidance and advice to these families
Working with professionals in local hospitals to help establish and meet the needs of these families
Raising public awareness of the difficulties faced by parents and carers in these families
Providing a further financial grant to the parents previously supported upon bereavement of their sick child, addressing their financial burdens at this time
Raise awareness of the importance of organ donation
Every year we support as many families as we can. Families like Isabelle’s whose Mammy Sarah says: “Sometimes I feel like I’m living In a bubble and everything around me moves forward but I’m stuck holding on to Isabelle, I wouldn’t change our children but I wish Isabelle could tell me what is up. I think it’s the not knowing that’s the hardest. I can’t thank the Charlie & Carter Foundation enough, your kindness and generosity is amazing. You are all true angels. We have never had anyone be as kind as you all. This help means we can clear some debts and enjoy some quality time together as a family”
THE DIFFERENCE you could make
We are a not-for-profit charity and rely heavily on the generosity of people and their donations to help as many families as possible in their hour of need. We have no fixed or regular financial support and every £1 could help make a difference to the families who need our help.