Brother sets up The Aleisha Whamond Foundation in honour of late Urmston teenager

Ryan Whamond, 23, of Canterbury Road, Urmston, established The Aleisha Whamond Foundation following the death of his sister, Aleisha.

The former Egerton High School pupil’s passing in 2012 came as a shock to her family; the cause of death unascertained.

Ryan was determined that Aleisha’s name would be carried on and that something positive would come from the family’s heartache.

He formed the foundation late last year, with an aim of raising awareness of mental health problems, which Aleisha suffered from, and funds for mental health charities and hospitals.

The father-of-one said: “It kills me knowing I have to live the rest of my life without her and knowing my kids will never meet her makes me gutted. I was her protective older brother; I would have given my life for her.

“Aleisha was the sweetest, kindest young girl you’d wish to meet. If she could she would have given you the clothes off her back. She suffered from mental health issues from a young age and found it difficult to fit in as a result.

“I set the foundation up because Aleisha’s story is a story that needs telling and so many people can relate. Mental health is something people brush under the carpet when in reality, it’s a serious issue.”

Ryan, a sales consultant, has a number of charity events in the pipeline, including football matches and a rap battle, but other challenges require more than a little courage.

“I am terrified because some of the stuff I am doing is to face my fears, such as lie in a pit full of spiders, skydiving, and bungee jumping but I’m excited to see how far I can take it,” said Ryan.

“This foundation means everything to me as I have to make it work for the memory of Aleisha. If I can help families avoid the pain me and my family went through I have achieved my goal.”

To find out more about the foundation or how you can help, visit ‘The Aleisha Whamond Foundation’ Facebook page.