Three Ells Trust

The Three Ells Trust, a UK-registered charity established in 2000 by David and Helen Naerger in memory of their son Lewis, who died at 16 from osteosarcoma, is dedicated to improving the lives of children and young people with cancer or other life-limiting illnesses, while providing practical, emotional, and financial support to their families. Shaped by the founders' lived experience of childhood cancer and bereavement, the family-governed Trust emphasises compassion, dignity, and family-centred care, addressing overlooked non-medical needs like travel costs, specialist equipment, and psychosocial support amid gaps in statutory NHS provision.

It prioritises paediatric oncology, palliative care, psychological services, and youth empowerment programmes, funding hospitals (e.g., Dorset County Hospital's former Paediatric Palliative Care Nurse role and ongoing psych services), national charities like Teenage Cancer Trust, and direct grants to individuals/families for hardship relief. Beneficiaries are primarily in Dorset and the South of England, though support extends regionally for specialist care; eligible entities are UK-registered charities, NHS trusts, or families via healthcare referrals—no income thresholds apply, but focus is on established health sector partners rather than small grassroots groups.

Grants range from £500–£3,000 for individual needs to £10,000–£30,000 (or more for multi-year posts) for organisations, covering project costs, core services, equipment, and patient relief. Invitation-only with no unsolicited applications, public deadlines, or forms—decisions are discretionary and adhoc, driven by urgent referrals from trusted partners. Distinctively, it avoids capital/seed funding or broad capacity-building, standing out for its unwavering specialist focus, long-term hospital collaborations, and direct impact on immediate hardships in childhood cancer care.