Charity Founder & Trustee

LISA WALLIS BEM

Lisa is our charity founder. However she had a busy life before starting ChemoHero...she worked 18 years at Petroc college as a learning support assistant to students with additional needs, in her spare time she’d use her caring nature as an enabler. Her hobbies included running and shopping. Since her diagnosis of secondary cancer, the above has sadly all taken a side step and now she uses her spare time when not in chemotherapy to organise and plan out fundraisers and work with the community to inspire them to fundraise for the charity. She spends many evenings at the chemohero unit with groups of volunteers packing the boxes. She loves nothing more than meeting new groups of people and talking about all things ChemoHero. In 2019 Lisa won the Pride of Britain fundraiser award for the South West region and in 2020 her work was recognised in the Queen's new years honours list where she was awarded the British Empire Medal for her voluntary work.

Trustee

LAURA DAVIES

Laura joined the trustee team in 2019. Having been friends with Lisa for 34 years she was keen to support her in any way she could and decided to join the board of trustees this year to help carry Lisa’s ideas forward. Laura has worked in Rexel an electrical wholesaler for the last 6 years with this she brings her organisational skills, her ability to order stock and her fantastic communication skills. Laura will be found at every meeting, every box packing night and any fundraising event happening within ChemoHero.

Trustee

KEN CLARKE

Ken is a retired Police Officer having served for 31 years. On retirement, he enjoyed many years as a Volunteer and Trustee at the North Devon Hospice but unfortunately had to retire after a cancer diagnosis in 2015. He was honoured to be asked by Lisa to join her Board of Trustees in 2017 and enjoys supporting ChemoHero as he feels it is such a fantastic and caring Charity. His strengths are communication skills, empathy and life experience. To some, he is an “elder statesman”.

Trustee

NICOLA BADDICK

Nicola is a solicitor at a local firm in North Devon. She first became involved in ChemoHero when her firm chose to support the charity as their "Charity of the Year". Nicola said she was delighted to be asked to join the ChemoHero team as a new Trustee and is looking forward to helping ChemoHero continue its wonderful work.

Trustee

KELLY ROACH

Kelly works as a School Financial Manager for a local Secondary School. She got involved with ChemoHero in 2016 after one of her best friends was diagnosed with Breast Cancer.  Kelly felt so helpless at the time that she decided to hold an afternoon Tea Party to raise funds for a local cancer charity and that is when she discovered ChemoHero! Kelly was appointed a Trustee in 2017 and supports the charity with her HR & Finance experience, and her administrative & organisational skills. 

Trustee

JO DOWN

Jo works as the Human Resources Leader for the Tarka Learning Partnership (Multi-Academy Trust).  She got involved with ChemoHero after working with the founder Lisa for many years in the FE college where they both formerly worked.  Jo supported Lisa through her employment ups and downs as a result of her illness. As a trustee of ChemoHero, Jo supports the charity with her HR knowledge, managerial skills experience and skills and love of helping people.  

Trustee

NICKY EDWARDS

Nicky is a solicitor who works in Bristol. She has known Lisa since school and became involved in the "behind the scenes" administrative tasks before becoming a trustee. Nicky is proud to support ChemoHero and the lovely work that it does.

Trustee

SARAH DOWSON

My name is Sarah Dowson and I'm currently working at NDDH as a Reiki therapist in cancer services providing Reiki for patients, families and staff caring for them whilst undergoing chemotherapy or during an inpatient stay. I have also been a  Registered nurse for 20 years and worked within cancer services for a large percentage of this time. When I first heard Lisa talk about chemohero a few years ago now,  her passion and honesty stuck with me.  I see the patients faces light up when they are given their box of kindness and I am very excited to be involved with this fabulous charity.

Trustee

HEIDI RILEY

Heidi works for Nike, with experience in business and team management. Her passion for ChemoHero began 3 years ago after listening to a presentation from Lisa and being inspired by the charity’s work. Heidi has since enjoyed supporting the charity and volunteering at various events and is incredibly honoured and excited to be joining the trustee team. 

Trustee

ZOE SMITH

Zoe has been a serving Police Officer for the last 16 years. A keen runner, she has completed multiple marathons and ultra-marathons. In her spare time, she organises some of the most popular races in Devon including the Barnstaple Marathon.  Zoe started working with the charity through the events that she planned and was inspired by the enthusiasm and energy of Chemohero volunteers. She became a trustee in 2021 because she wanted to be involved in making the charity sustainable for the future. She is looking to bring her keen analytic mind, her sense of fun and her planning skills to the charity.

Operations Manager

ROB WALLIS

Rob has been a member of the ChemoHero team since the beginning. After Lisa had finished her first round of treatment for breast cancer he helped Lisa’s box of kindness idea become a reality. Rob's role within ChemoHero is varied from, stock control to marketing.