2020 Winner
Jenny cook
Teenager with a debilitating condition has spent more than a decade raising hundreds of thousands of pounds to help others like her.
Jenny suffers from ulcerative colitis, a form of inflammatory bowel disease. When she was six, surgeons removed her large intestine, meaning she had to adjust to life with a colostomy bag. In 2010, she was able to have a j-pouch created from her small intestine, meaning her colostomy bag could be removed.
Despite her own health issues, Jenny dedicates her free time to fundraising for the Glasgow Children’s Hospital and the Catherine McEwan Foundation, which supports people living with IBD.
She held her first event when she was five – a cheese and wine night at her primary school, which raised £5,000. Twelve years later, her total from events including an annual tea party stands at £420,000.
Jenny also speaks at many Glasgow Hospital fundraising events, as well as offices and schools to create awareness of her condition. With a commitment to helping other children manage the disease, she has also volunteered as a hospital buddy, meeting and supporting other young patients.
Now a Young Ambassador for Glasgow Children’s Hospital Charity, Jenny, 17 organises fundraising events all year round from a customised office in her back garden.