Jak's wonderful legacy keeps us going through darkest days

dailyrecord.co.uk:

A mum who lost her beloved son to cancer at just 15 years old has looked back with pride at what he achieved on the anniversary of his passing.Jak Trueman lost his brave battle with a rare but aggressive cancer seven years ago this month.But before he died he set up the charity Team Jak with mum Allison Barr to help other young people going through treatment for cancer or other life-limiting conditions.Since then the charity has set up a centre for young people and their families in Livingston – Jak’s Den – along with other sites in Fife and Aberdeen.The centres offer loving and welcoming spaces for children and their families and staff and volunteers offer invaluable support and care along with all-important fun, to take their minds off treatment.And while Allison says she’d rather she had Jak wth her and his sister Aimie, knowing how many people he has helped makes getting through each day “a little easier”.She said: “I miss everything about him, most especially his smile, hugs and general presence in the house.“His smile always lit up our lives and his wicked sense of humour too.“I miss watching him play football, listening to him in the band with his tuba and watching him in the house with his mates and girlfriend Hannah and hearing the buzz and laughter of them all being around.“And I miss not seeing him grow into the amazing young man I knew he would be.”Allison said she gets through the hardest of days by throwing herself into “making his dreams a reality”.She thinks he would be quietly proud of the legacy he left behind, adding: “I think in true Jak style he wouldn’t say much, he’d be quietly chuffed, but you would most definitely know by that huge smile he would have all over his face.”Allison said she and her