When the doctor says cancer

“It’s like you’re in a bubble and you’re screaming but no one hears.” Those first days, weeks and months after a cancer diagnosis are overwhelming, when young cancer patients are confused, scared and anxious. From the moment of diagnosis, we’re there and ready to help families cope. Our care teams provide day-to-day support for each child, young person and family, from information and guidance to clinical care and specialist play during treatment.

Cancer costs

As if a cancer diagnosis isn’t tough enough, the financial impact of cancer can be devastating. Our research shows parents spend an average of £600 more every month when their child has cancer. Lots of travel for treatment, hotels, extra heating costs at home. It soon adds up, causing further anxiety and worry.

Young Lives vs Cancer care teams work with young people and families to help them get essential financial support. We arrange Young Lives vs Cancer grants and help them get the benefits and other support they’re entitled to. We also help liaise with young people’s employers and sort out housing issues to keep families together, because day-to-day life doesn’t stop when you have cancer.

There’s no place like home

Treatment is exhausting and often happens for months at a time, far away from home. Travelling for treatment not only adds to the exhaustion; it’s expensive too. We help to reduce that burden. Our nursing teams can provide personal care and support at home, or arrange for treatment to be given closer to home. We also have Young Lives vs Cancer Homes from Home close to hospitals, where families can stay during treatment for free. These reduce the financial cost and emotional impact of cancer, keeping families together when it matters most.

We help them thrive, not just survive

Cancer shatters young cancer patients’ education, social lives and future prospects. They need support not just to survive cancer but to finish treatment with their future in their grasp. We help them get their lives back on track, both during and after treatment.

Our team of professionals work with children and young people to limit the damage of cancer. We support young cancer patients emotionally – building their resilience so they can continue to learn, regain their confidence and be inspired to think beyond cancer. We work with schools on a child or young person’s behalf, helping them keep in touch with friends, organising work at home so they don’t fall behind and helping schools prepare for when a child goes back to school.

When a child dies

Hearing your child isn’t going to get better is every parent’s worst nightmare. We help young cancer patients and families prepare for death, if the unthinkable happens. We encourage them to think about how the child or young person can be remembered and help them deal with their worries. Our care teams provide bereavement support through home visits, local support groups and memory days. We do this to help children, young people and their families find a way to cope with the emotional pain.

Making change happen

Too often, young cancer patients and their families don’t get the support they need from the government. We listen to them, basing our research and campaigning on what they tell us to ensure we make the right change happen. And then we fight on their behalf. We do this through extensive research and by campaigning for policy change in the things which matter most to them. We raise awareness of children and young people’s experiences and champion their voices to politicians and decision makers across the UK.