The Story of The Joshua Tree
Supporting the emotional health and wellbeing of families affected by childhood cancers.
Specialist support for the whole family
The Joshua Tree provides free, tailored support for families across the UK affected by cancer diagnosed in a child or young person aged 0–24.
We know that a cancer diagnosis turns life upside down, not just for the child or young person, but for the entire family.
That’s why we offer tailored support that wraps around the whole family, children, parents, siblings, grandparents, and carers. Whether that’s emotional support, counselling, therapy, educational advocacy, or wellbeing programmes, we respond to the needs of each family as they change over time.
Support is available at our centres, digitally and within local communities, you don’t need to live near a centre to get in touch. We’re here to walk alongside families at every stage, from diagnosis and treatment, to life beyond cancer or bereavement.
Founded on a legacy
The charity was founded in 2006 by Dai and Lynda Hill following their own experience of childhood cancer. When their son Josh was diagnosed with Leukaemia, they found no services that supported the emotional wellbeing of the whole family from diagnosis through post-treatment.
Because of this, they created The Joshua Tree to meet this need and embedded a community-led ethos from the start. That legacy continues, with families involved in shaping, evaluating, and delivering our services.
Our future
Our ambition is to reach more families affected by childhood and young adult cancer across the UK, providing the right support, at the right time, in the right place.
Through our three-year strategy, we’re developing digital support and expanding our work within local communities to bring services closer to families. Our recent growth in Greater Manchester is part of this commitment to making support more accessible.
As we grow, families remain at the heart of our work, helping shape services that respond to their needs.
