About us

About our Inspiration

Meeting Joss

Just after I retired from professional rugby, I met an immensely courageous and selfless 15-year-old boy called Joss Rowley Stark. Joss was living with cancer and, sadly, just over a year after I first met him, he passed away.

I learnt from Joss that, when a child is seriously ill, anything that lifts a family out of their daily routine and allows them to spend time together doing something special can have a lasting impact.

The impact Joss and his family had on me was huge and he remains with us every day as our inspiration.

After Joss passed away, Annie and I met with The Brain Tumour Charity and discovered that brain tumours are the biggest cancer killer of children and adults under 40. We knew we had to do something positive to offer hope to the families affected.

So, in 2014, we set up The Lewis Moody Foundation to raise money. Our aim was to fund vital research into brain tumours, reduce diagnosis times through the Better Safe Than Tumour campaign, and give the families affected much-needed respite – as well as the chance to create some special memories.

Since we started The Foundation, we’ve seen families we’ve come to know well lose their loved ones. Experiencing such devastation makes us even more determined to do whatever we can.

That’s why we’re here to raise awareness, help families create memories, and contribute towards the ground-breaking research that will, one day, find a cure for brain tumours.

But we simply can’t do this without you. We need you to join us in the Sahara Desert and help us tackle brain tumours and bring smiles and joy to families whose lives have been disrupted by a brain tumour diagnosis.

-          Lewis Moody