SME News Q3 2025 / 46 The Osborne Trust: Supporting Children through Parental Cancer When a person is diagnosed with cancer, it is not only their lives that are impacted but also those of their family and support systems. This is especially true for parents receiving a diagnosis, devastating entire households and disrupting their everyday lives. In addition to juggling hospital appointments and treatment schedules, these parents must now factor in additional support for their children, who undoubtedly struggle with this change. Today, we take a deep dive into the spectacular services offered by The Osborne Trust – the only UK-based charity dedicated to supporting the child of a parent with a cancer diagnosis. We heard more from Emma Osborne, Founder and CEO of The Osborne Trust, below. Headquartered in Rhyl, North Wales, The Osborne Trust is a unique charity providing unwavering support to children during the challenging journey of navigating their parent’s cancer diagnosis. Catering to children and young people across the UK and Northern Ireland, the Trust helps children and young people whose parent has received a cancer diagnosis, is undergoing cancer treatment, has seen a recurrence to their cancer, has died from cancer, and beyond. “No child in the UK should face a parent’s cancer diagnosis unsupported or in isolation.” The Osborne Trust was founded in 2014, its establishment driven by the personal story of its Founder and CEO, Emma Osborne. In 2013, Emma was diagnosed with cancer at 36-years-old, when her two children were aged seven and four. She spent ten months undergoing various treatments, operations, chemotherapy, and radiotherapy, and endured many hospital stays due to unforeseen infections and complications. Throughout this difficult period, Emma was continually focused on best supporting her children. At each appointment, she enquired about local and national organisations that could support her children but met continuous dead-ends; there were countless services geared towards her struggles, but nothing that would specifically focus on supporting her children. Instead, Emma and her partner took on the task themselves, planning activities around her treatment that included the cinema, a play centre, and a farm park to provide both Emma and her children with a much-needed break from the treatments. It was at this time that a friend was also diagnosed with cancer, someone who was self-employed with three children. They were unable to work due to their treatment and were accessing statutory sick pay. This development pushed Emma to consider the financial implications that a cancer diagnosis presents to a family – that fun days out and family activities become a rare luxury when a parent is diagnosed with cancer. This realisation lay the very foundation that The Osborne Trust was built upon. “The goal was simple, but vital: to ensure that no child feels alone or unsupported when their parent is diagnosed with cancer.” After Emma finished treatment in February 2014, she soon began setting up The Osborne Trust, striving to build a charity to support children during their parent’s cancer. When structuring the charity, she made sure to ask her children what would have supported them in their journey. A teddy-bear to cuddle and provide comfort whilst Emma was in hospital was a strong contender and, from there, mascot Ozzy the Elephant was born. The Osborne Trust supported its first family in January 2015 and has been relentless in its mission ever since. The Trust provides a range of free services across the UK to children aged 16 years and under, including funding respite activities for children to give them a break from the stresses of their parent’s illness and treatments; sending age-appropriate support packs and resources to children, including journals, Ozzy the Elephant teddies, Worry Bears, books, and emotion boards; offering more activities and support around school holidays, which can feel particularly challenging for impacted families; and raising awareness of the needs of children effected by parental cancer and advocating for better support across healthcare and community services. “Right now, one of the biggest challenges facing children and families where a parent has cancer is isolation and emotional strain,” Emma told us. “When Mum or Dad is going through treatment, the whole family routine is disrupted. Parents are often exhausted or unwell; children can feel confused, anxious, and cut-off from friends or support networks.” This is precisely why The Osborne Trust exists: to provide these families with ongoing support, guidance, and aid – especially the children. Alongside the emotional toll that follows a parent’s cancer diagnosis, many families also face financial pressures due to extended time off work and additional costs of care – often limiting opportunities for children to experience fun, normal childhood activities in the midst of their struggle. Services supporting children through parental cancer are incredibly limited and inconsistent throughout the UK, leaving many families with nowhere to turn. “We know that when a parent is diagnosed with cancer, the entire family is affected,” Emma explained. “Children often face emotional challenges, uncertainty, and disruption to their everyday lives. No child in the UK should face a parent’s cancer diagnosis unsupported or in isolation. Our aim is to help reduce isolation and provide practical and emotional support to children and young people during this difficult time.” Of course, the journey has not been without its difficulties and one of the biggest obstacles The Osborne Trust consistently faces is meeting the growing demand for support. Each year, more and more families are reaching out for its support, but The Osborne Trust is a small charity with limited access to resources. This is an ever-present obstacle for the organisation, and one that presents its own unique emotional challenges
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