The Lily Foundation is growing! Despite the challenges that have affected everyone over the last two years, our charity is busier than ever.
That's great news, as it means awareness about mitochondrial disease is increasing. We are supporting more affected families, funding more research, and developing ever stronger partnerships with our partner organisations in the global mito community.
To help us continue to meet our mission goals, we've added some talented new people to our team. They include some familiar faces who you might recognise from Lily events, as well as some new friends to welcome into the family!
Joining us in the role of Science & Patient Engagement Officer is Katie Waller. A qualified children’s nurse who understands the importance of research in providing hope for families affected by rare diseases, Katie will be working closely with the people we support, listening to their needs and helping to ensure they have a voice in research and care provision.
Katie commented: "I am absolutely delighted to be joining the Lily Foundation and given the opportunity to raise awareness of mitochondrial disease. I am looking forward to working closely with patients and families to understand their needs and communicate this to scientists, researchers and industry."
Our small but industrious events team has been strengthened, with Abbi Hartfree coming on board as Events Manager. Abbi has a lot of experience in the charity sector and various educational foundations, including working with young people, and will help ensure we keep knocking it out of the park with our amazing Lily events.
Abbi says she is "extremely passionate about raising awareness of mitochondrial disease", and looks forward to delivering "exciting events that help bring some hope to the families affected."
We have also added a Graphic Designer/Website Manager to our team, in the form of the very talented Bobbie Lloyd. The Lily website is often the first port of call for people seeking information about mitochondrial disease, as well as being a vital platform for raising awareness and funds. Bobbie's skills will be invaluable as our charity grows and the website evolves with it.
"My experience with mitochondrial disease before arriving here was limited, but since joining I've already seen the big difference the team is making," said Bobbie. "I hope my work can help bring more attention to such a good cause!"
Corporate partnerships are an important source of donations for our charity. To strengthen our operations in this area we welcome Sarah Moore, a long-time supporter of The Lily Foundation who has personal experience of mitochondrial disease, having lost two daughters to the disease. Sarah's professional experience in corporate funding and passion for the cause make her an ideal addition to our team.
“When I found out about The Lily Foundation in 2018 it gave me a strong, motivational purpose to start my fundraising journey," says Sarah. "With many years experience working within the corporate field, I am honoured to join the Lily Team as Corporate Fundraiser.”
Last but not least, we are delighted to welcome Tara Rutt to our staff team. Tara has been a familiar face volunteering at Lily events for years, and will now be providing much needed support with our fundraising and merchandise. If you sign up to a Lily event or order something from our website, there's a good chance Tara will be taking care of it!
"I've volunteered at Lily events and taken part in various fundraising events over the years, and was blown away by the love and determination from Liz and the team," Tara commented. "I feel very lucky to be part of the amazing Lily Family."
As we prepare for another busy and exciting year at The Lily Foundation, it's great to know we have the right team in place to continue our mission to support people affected by mitochondrial disease, raise awareness, and fund research towards a cure. A warm welcome to our new Lily staff!