In early 2018, Ruth Strauss, the late wife of Sir Andrew Strauss, the former England cricket captain, was diagnosed with an incurable lung cancer that affects non-smokers. Ruth died on 29 December 2018; she was 46 years old and mother to two children, then aged 10 and 13.

The Ruth Strauss Foundation was established in 2019 by Sir Andrew Strauss to provide professional emotional support for families navigating a parent’s incurable cancer diagnosis. The Foundation provides specialist, accessible and tailored support, so that parents feel confident and equipped to keep their children informed and involved, building understanding, connection and resilience together. Its mission is to also raise awareness of the need for more research and collaboration in the fight against non-smoking lung cancers.