Who is the Boom Foundation?

The Boom Foundation was set up by Leona Rankin in April 2013 having lost her fiancé to Sarcoma, a rare form of soft tissue and bone cancer, only 6 weeks before their wedding day. The lack of support that existing in Northern Ireland during her fiancé’s illness fueled her determination to put a support network in place for those suffering from this ‘forgotten cancer’.

The Boom Foundation remains the only charity in Northern Ireland dedicated to supporting patients suffering from sarcoma cancer. There are over 100 new patients diagnosed with sarcoma each year in NI, many of whom are children. In its first year (April 2013 - April 2014), the charity was registered with the NI Charity Commission and had raised over £100,000 through voluntary donations.  To date, the charity has raised almost £750,000 through voluntary donations and its fundraising efforts.

In October 2013, the Boom Foundation joined forces with Sarcoma UK (a registered charity in England and Wales), which has allowed them to enhance their understanding surrounding the diagnoses and treatment of sarcoma as well as ensuring that research is continually supported through their own endeavours. Most importantly, Boom has been able to offer support to sarcoma sufferers throughout their illness for the first time in NI.