Lorraine Lewis is the Co-Founder and CEO of The Lewis Foundation, an award-winning cancer charity providing free gift packs and ongoing support to adult cancer patients across 17 hospitals in the Midlands. Founded from lived experience, the charity has become a lifeline for thousands of people diagnosed with cancer.
Beyond her role as a charity leader, Lorraine is a highly sought-after motivational speaker, inspiring audiences ranging from school children to corporate professionals. She has delivered talks for organisations including The Eden Project, the European Chartered Institute of Fundraising, and AJ Bell, sharing powerful messages of resilience, purpose and hope.
Lorraine's remarkable journey has captured national attention. She has been featured in publications such as The Sun and HELLO! Magazine, and has appeared on Channel 4 News, highlighting her work and personal story.
Her dedication to community service has been recognised through numerous accolades, including the HELLO! Magazine Inspiration Award, Great British Entrepreneur Award, and the prestigious Prime Minister's Point of Light Award. In recognition of her services to cancer, Lorraine was recently invited to meet Their Majesties The King and Queen.
In addition to her charitable work, Lorraine is an author, with her memoir Dare To Dream chronicling her journey from lawyer to charity founder. She also hosts the podcast "See Through The Big C", amplifying the voices of those living with cancer, their loved ones, and healthcare professionals.
A passionate artist, Lorraine discovered her love for art in her forties and continues to explore creativity alongside her enthusiasm for fitness, including HYROX competitions, running, and ultra-distance challenges—living proof that it's never too late to dream, create, and push beyond perceived limits.
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Show notes
- Who is Lorraine
- Being based in Northampton
- Co-founder of The Lewis Foundation which supports cancer patients in hospital
- Writing her book, 'Dare to Dream'
- Her early years growing up
- Not being sporty and always trying to get out of PE
- Being into reading and writing
- Her dream of wanting to become a barrister
- Being supported and encouraged by her parents
- Her determination and resilience
- Not knowing how she would achieve her goals
- Doing old school research by heading to the library
- Creating her own opportunities to gain the experiences she needed
- Doing the Bar Vocational Course
- Not having time for sport or physical activity
- £50k of student debt….
- Being determined to make it happen
- Dealing with challenges and changes
- How it changed their life
- Starting to question everything and why there must be more to life
- What can be done?
- Wanting to make people feel better
- Dealing with cancer, death and grief
- Supporting people with cancer
- Bringing joy to peoples days
- Getting into fitness and ultra running to raise funds for the charity
- Deciding to sign up to do a Tough Mudder (Obstacle Run)
- Wanting to push herself more physically and step outside her comfort zone
- Running out of money for the charity
- How Mike supported the charity with a £50k donation
- The kindness of strangers
- Deciding to take on the 3 Peaks Challenge
- Taking on more and more running challenges
- Being consumed by the Lewis Foundation and starting to neglect herself
- Rat Race
- The Wall
- Discovering Hyrox
- Getting back on her feet and being more active and more healthy
- Starting to feel stronger mentally and more resilient to handle challenges
- January 2025 - and doing her vision board and goals for the year
- Deciding to sign up for the 70 mile race
- Not training for the ultra in the best way…
- Being at the start of the race
- The struggle during the race and crossing the finishing line
- Feeling physically broken but knowing it was her mental resilience that got her across the finish line
- The mental side of running 70 miles
- Setting a big challenge for 2026
- Taking on a 100 mile ultra! The Rat Race Castle to Castle
- The Lewis Foundation will be celebrating it's 10th Anniversary in 2026
- Starting to follow a specific running program
- Being pushed in her training
- Making sure to eat better
- The challenges of fuelling while being coeliac
- Feeling in a much better place physically
- Needing to exercise at 6am
- Training about 35 hrs a week
- What is the race strategy….
- Breaking down the training
- Fuelling her training and needing to eat more
- Not being afraid to consume food—especially carbs
- Taking supplements to help with iron levels
- Creatine and omega-3
- The benefits of hiking poles/sticks
- Rotating trainers
- The financial impact of taking on challenges/runs etc
- How to connect with Lorraine on social media
- Podcast: See through the big C
- Final words of advice
- The importance of living your life
- Make the most of the time we have on this planet
Social Media
Website: www.lorrainelewisbcah.co.uk
LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/lorraine-lewis-bcah
Youtube: @Seethroughthebigc
Instagram: @lorraine_lewisbca
Book: Dare to Dream
