Holly Foundation Sickle Cell

General information

The Holly Foundation is a charitable organisation with offices in the UK and a project based in Uganda

The Charity objective is to help a sickle cell child and their family while bringing sickle cell awareness to the schools, community and public in Luweero district. The Charity does this through three ways:-

1. advancement of health and saving lives

We provide practical assistance in the form of medical care, psychological counseling, transport to reassure sufferers and carers that they are not alone. We have regular focus group meetings to enrich and connect sufferers in order to innovate and exchange ideas and help to break the barrier of isolation and depression which can come with the Sickle Cell disorder.

2. advancement and furthering of education

Sickle-cell sufferers tend to spend some time on admission to hospitals and attending to their health appointments hence miss their classes in school. It is always difficult for them to catch-up with the rest of the class group. Holly Foundation wants to intervene in such times. Also these sufferers in most cases are denied the precious opportunity of Education by their parents saying they cannot waste anymore monies on their school fees since they are going to die anyway soon.
Holly Foundation is given Scholarships to help the sickle-cell suffers further their education.
We have produced educational leaflets about the disease to help the community understand sickle-cell disease.

3. the relief of poverty of those in need by reason of youth, age, ill health and disability.

By providing different projects where the sickle cell sufferer and their family would be able to have self sufficiency. The projects include goats project, cows project, pigs project, chicken project, medicines project, charity shop and garden project.

ABOUT HOLLY

Holly was a seventeen year old girl when she sadly passed away in March 2010 due to sickle cell disease.

Holly was a loving young person deeply devoted to her faith. She loved and respected everyone, especially anyone younger than her.

In 2008 she attracted the attention of newspapers as a girl who took her GSCE examination while in hospital; her grades were exemplary.

Holly had a unique character. Before answering any questions from someone older than her, she would always pause and think before she would finally answer. She had a teenage side too when among her peers.
Towards anyone younger, she would show a very loving care and responsibility. Holly would always stand up for children, all of whom she thought should be fairly treated.

HER FINAL DAYS

Near to the day she died when she was very poorly, her young relatives came to visit her. As young kids always do, they wanted to go swimming. She had no energy to for this – unlike her small relatives. Holly had a loving and responsible attitude. She went with them to the swimming pool, sitting alongside with only her feet dipped in the water but always looking out for their safety.

In 2010 while in hospital, Holly developed an interest in charity engagement. During her various admissions to hospital, Holly helped to go around the wards with a tin, collecting money for any cause that needed it.

This was to keep her busy she was loved and admired what she was doing. She was a good fund raiser. She wrote a strategic work plan for how she would do her fund raising. This was to polish the nails of patients in exchange for a small donation.

As part of her plan, she drew a bottle of nail polish and a bottle of nail vanish. This would be an advert and the actual bottles would be her stock. She said ‘I want to bring a smile to patients and polish their nails at a price of £1 per person’.

The money raised would go to her chosen charity. Sadly, shortly after this and before she could put her plan into action, she passed away.