We are a registered charity supporting the Atkinson Morley Wing of St George’s Hospital to treat brain diseases, disorders and brain injuries. We fundraise for surgical equipment and also the McKissock Ward roof garden which the foundation maintains. 

The John King Brain tumour foundation was set up in memory of John King, a much-loved chef with an international reputation who was diagnosed with a glioblastoma brain tumour, a condition from which he sadly passed away on 22 November 2016 after an incredibly brave and dignified fight against his illness. 

During John’s treatment , John and his wife Laura discovered the gardens for neurological patients outside McKissock Ward .The roof garden is a hidden oasis of green on the second floor of the Atkinson Morley Wing, adjacent to the McKissock Neurosurgery Ward. The gardens were commissioned by Henry Marsh, to help with patient recovery, however following Henry’s retirement in 2015 the gardens were in serious need of some TLC. 

With the agreement of the hospital, John and Laura adopted the garden and with a team of family and friends started to bring it back to life. Helping them with the revival of the garden was RHS Gold Medal winning Garden Designer Tony Woods, and landscape company ,Garden Club London . Everyone was so passionate about improving and developing the roof garden that John and Laura decided to launch a charity to raise funds for ongoing improvements and maintenance of the garden. In addition to this, they passionately wanted to support the amazing work at the Atkinson Morley Wing in the treatment of brain tumours. 

To date the charity has fundraised to purchase two state of the art neurosurgical microscopes, a paediatric skull clamp and head rest and continue to invest in and maintain the McKissock Roof Garden.

The charities next project  is to create a ‘Forest in the Sky” garden for Neuro ICU patients and their families, another  haven away from the busy wards and a place where the nursing staff can take patients to exercise and breath in fresh air , which will aid their recovery.