Fiona is an alumni of the Renaissance Foundation Programme. She discusses the positive impact the charity has had on her life, reflecting on her experiences, the friends she made, the skills she developed, and on how she still gives back to the charity as a volunteer.

I joined RF in 2013. I remember Sat [Founder and CEO] did an activity and a talk at an event. I just remember that I really enjoyed the activity. Reaching out to Renaissance Foundation is a decision I've never regretted because it was amazing.

For me, Renaissance Foundation was kind of like a second family. It was a place where I could breathe and feel safe. I've made so many great connections there. It felt like my own community, one that really understood me as well. The other young people there also faced their own challenges. But when we went to Renaissance Foundation, it was as if all our problems didn't exist. I got to be me and express myself. I would describe the charity as a lifesaver. Being a young person that has faced a lot of challenges, it's hard to find your own kind of community where you feel seen. That's exactly what Renaissance Foundation made me feel.

Every day I Iearned something new. The one moment that really flipped the switch was when we went to Norway. That was my first time going to Norway and I didn't know anyone. But the switch really flipped when we were in the Thief Hotel, and we were speaking to Dominic Gorham [then Guest relations manager at the Thief Hotel]. His speech was just very inspiring. He helped me believe that anything is possible. He taught me that when you have a goal, you just need to go for it. That always stays in my head.

Another highlight from my time at Renaissance Foundation was going to Richard Branson's house. He's someone who is very inspiring, very talented, and successful. I remember I wrote a letter to Richard Branson and I never expected that I was going to meet him. I felt so inspired when I got a letter back. He told me if there's a goal or dream that you have in mind, just do it and just keep going with it. That really stuck with me.

*Young people from Renaissance Foundation talking to Richard Branson*

I remember we had sessions and drop-in sessions at GOSH but it was always about my medicines and health. There was quite a serious feeling to those sessions, whereas when I went to Renaissance Foundation, it was different. I remember just feeling free and happy. Renaissance Foundation’s sessions weren’t sessions that reminded us of what we were facing at the time. They were full of light, and the people and the staff were really friendly as well. I felt like I was just going to a second safe space.

I've definitely changed a lot since taking part in the programme. My mindset has changed. I was very shy before and I used to see the world in a narrow way. I think I've definitely grown since then because my mind is very open-minded now. I believe in myself more and am more positive now. Being part of Renaissance Foundation made me feel like anything is possible and that a dream is not something that is far away. A dream is something that I can chase and is achievable. I'm a lot more confident now than I was before.

The charity has helped me in so many ways and one of them has been the mentoring and the advice that they provide. They've also helped me with my confidence in talking to people. Renaissance Foundation would always throw me into the deep end. We would do talks and I would do presentations, sometimes to a large group of people. These were often very successful people who own companies and have done a lot in their lives. The fact that I got the chance to speak to them made me even more confident in myself.

I'm proud of my accomplishments at Renaissance Foundation. I had a lovely team that supported me and believed in me; they saw my worth and my talents before I did. When you have a group of people that want the best for you and they believe in you, it makes you feel like you can do anything in the world. I was able to accomplish so much. I also just learned so much about myself as an individual. I'm very proud of myself and I'm proud that I was able to be part of such an amazing charity and meet amazing people.

Joining Renaissance Foundation is an opportunity that is very worth it, and it helps you grow as a person. Sometimes when I was in hospital, I felt like my life was going to be like that forever and that I was just going to be the hospital girl. Being part of Renaissance Foundation’s programme made me see beyond that, and it made me turn my struggles into power. I use that as fuel to go after my dreams, to be this happy, carefree, go-getter, and to chase my dreams and to know that the world is literally your oyster.

If you join Renaissance Foundation, they will help you and they will remind you that you are powerful, and they will remind you of your skills. They're incredible. If it wasn't for them, then I don't think I would be this person today.

Alumni Case Study: Fiona’s Story