Boshers supporting ChemoHero: Making a difference together
Last Updated on March 5, 2026 by admin
The Boshers team based at Bideford in Devon, were proud to recently spend time at ChemoHero’s local warehouse, helping to pack their much-loved “boxes of kindness” for people about to begin chemotherapy treatment. Getting hands-on with this incredible local charity gave our team a real insight into the care, thought, and compassion that goes into every box – and reinforced why supporting ChemoHero is so important to us.
ChemoHero is a North Devon–based charity founded in 2014 by Lisa Wallis, following her own breast cancer diagnosis in 2012, just one day after her 30th birthday. Like many people facing cancer, Lisa and her husband Rob found themselves unprepared for the realities of treatment. During chemotherapy, Lisa experienced difficult side effects and long hospital visits but also witnessed the kindness of nurses and the vulnerability of patients starting their treatment journey alone.
Inspired by her own experiences, Lisa set out to find a way to support others at this daunting time. Through research and lived experience, she created a list of practical and comforting items designed to help patients manage treatment side effects and feel cared for during hospital appointments. That idea became ChemoHero.
The first boxes were funded by a Christmas Market at Petroc College, where Lisa taught, and packed in her front room by Lisa and Rob before being delivered personally to patients. Even when Lisa’s cancer returned in 2015, this time in her bones, her determination never faltered. With the help of volunteers and the local community, ChemoHero became a registered charity in 2016.
Today, ChemoHero works closely with the Seamoor Unit at North Devon District Hospital, where nurses gift a box of kindness to every patient starting chemotherapy. Each box contains over 40 items – some practical, some luxurious – with a total value of more than £150. Since launching, over 3,500 boxes have been gifted UK wide, making treatment days a little easier for patients across the UK.
Sadly, Lisa passed away in August 2021, nine years after her diagnosis. Her legacy lives on through ChemoHero and the thousands of people her vision continues to support.
Boshers have provided Insurance services since 1976 and Holiday Home Insurance for 35 Years. We like to get involved with the community, so we are delighted to support this inspirational charity, and we are especially proud that the Benefact Group, of which Boshers is proudly part, will match fund any donations raised by the Boshers team. This means every contribution will have double the impact, helping ChemoHero continue Lisa’s mission of kindness, care, and community support.
Supporting communities
Over the past decade, the Benefact Group has become the UK’s third-largest corporate donor, underlining its long-term commitment to charitable giving and community impact. Boshers is proud to be part of a group that places social responsibility at the heart of everything it does.
You can explore the Benefact Giving Map to find a charity near you by visiting givingmap.benefactgroup.com.
If you would like a quote for Holiday Let Insurance, contact our team today – we’re always happy to help.
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