Teenage Cancer Trust

"Our residential trips are always a magical experience for me. It is such a privilege watching the young people I work with trying new things, making new friends and growing in confidence. Working on the Teenage Cancer Trust unit at Royal Hospital for Children and Young People, I often meet young people when they are very unwell and very much at one of the worst points of their lives, so I feel very lucky to get to see them at their best on residential activities.   “They had a fantastic time trying out the activities there including a treetop adventure, archery, axe-throwing and alpaca trekking. For many young people this was their first time staying away from home without their parents since their diagnosis, making this a big milestone in their journey with cancer."   Last weekend, young people aged 13-16 treated at the Royal Hospital for Children and Young People in Edinburgh participated in a trip to Crieff Hydro Hotel. Teenage Cancer Trust Youth Support Coordinator, Conor, shares why these trips like these are so important.   We would like to extend a massive thank you to the staff at Crieff Hydro Hotel and Resort who helped make this experience special for the young people and staff who attended, and to NHS Lothian Charity 💙 for providing the funding for this experience.

We’re excited to share that we’re teaming up with ZING. Toothpaste to help raise vital funds for young people with cancer 💙   To kick things off, ZING. will be creating a specially designed, limited-edition Teenage Cancer Trust tube - and you could win the chance to design the artwork!   If you want to be in with the chance of having your artwork turned into a real-life, limited-edition tube, all you need to do is start designing!   You’ll have 3 weeks to prepare and submit your design ideas to designs@zingtoothpaste.com, or just post on Instagram and tag @zingtoothpaste.   The winner will have their artwork turned into a real life product which will be sold to raise proceeds for Teenage Cancer Trust! Find out more 👇 https://lnkd.in/djUgdEeW

Why do we need cancer care specially for young people ❓ Our teenage and young adult years are a unique and defining time in so many ways. When cancer puts this under threat, we’re here to help young people through it with our expert nurses and youth workers, and dedicated hospital units. But before Teenage Cancer Trust, there was no such thing as specialist cancer care for this age group. If you got cancer aged 13-24, you’d either be treated alongside younger children or much older adults. Cancer care wasn’t made for young people – and we knew this wasn’t right. That’s why we kicked off in 1990, and why we’re still here now. Here’s why specialist cancer care for young people is so important 👇 You’re not a child, but you’re very different to the older adults on a cancer ward. It’s a time full of milestones. First gig. First car. First job. Big exams and future plans. Life’s just getting started – then cancer disrupts everything. Just when you should be having fun and making lifelong friends, suddenly you’re set apart from your peers who don’t know what having cancer is like. Just when you’re becoming more independent, you might find yourself relying a lot on your parents or carers again. Just when you’re figuring out who you are and what’s important to you, cancer can feel like it takes your whole identity away. You probably haven’t been in hospital much before. In a healthcare system that wasn’t built for your needs, it’s easy to feel lost. Even getting a cancer diagnosis in the first place can take longer when you’re young – partly because it’s often so unexpected. Access to potentially life-saving clinical trials is lower for young people too. We’re working hard to change this. And at such a pivotal life stage, the mental health impact of cancer can be especially huge – so the right support is vital.

“We offer them social support, emotional support, psychological support.” Earlier this year our amazing Icon Romesh Ranganathan visited our Teenage Cancer Trust unit at the Queen Elizabeth University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust to find out more about the work our amazing nurses and Youth Support Coordinators do to help young people with cancer 💙

Nobody will remember: - your salary - how “busy" you were - how many hours you worked Young people with cancer will remember: - the Youth Support Coordinator who stopped them from feeling isolated during treatment.  - the nurse who made them feel like a person, not just another patient. - the support they received during the most difficult period of their lives.

News just in 📢 Our brilliant Icon, Romesh Ranganathan, will be running the 2025 London Marathon (London Marathon Events) for Teenage Cancer Trust! We’re thrilled to have Romesh join us, alongside all of our incredible marathon runners, helping to make sure cancer doesn’t stop young people from living their lives 💙 🏃♀️

Last week Mollie shared her diagnosis story. Teenage Cancer Trust Chief Nurse, Dr. Louise Soanes also spoke to BBC News about the importance of knowing the 5 most common signs of cancer: lumps, bumps and swellings, unexplained tiredness, mole changes, persistent pain, and significant weight change. "Awareness of these is concerningly low, as just 17% of young people aged 13-24 can identify any of the five most common signs of cancer, and young people have to see their GP more times before diagnosis than any other age group, meaning many face potentially life-threatening delays to getting their cancer diagnosed and treated. “Listen to your body, and if something isn’t right, please seek help at the earliest opportunity. "And if you’re not getting the answers that you need don’t be afraid to keep going back and asking for your concerns to be properly investigated.” Read more 👇 https://lnkd.in/e2FNNnsG

It can be hard working out what to say to someone with cancer. But it doesn’t have to be complicated. We spoke to young people who have been through cancer about some of the best (and worst) things to say to someone with cancer, and this is what they said 💬 Instead of saying nothing at all, why not say: "I don't know what to say but I'm here for you." Instead of asking if we're going to die, why not chat about normal things - we're still the same person. Instead of feeling like you need to ask lots of questions, why not say: "I'm here if you want to talk about it." Instead of not inviting us to things, keep asking us. Even if we can't always come. Instead of commenting on how we look or telling us we're not brave, why not treat us normally, like any other friend.

We were thrilled to be part of RBC Capital Markets Charity Day for the Kids back in June! A massive thank you to everyone involved, helping to make sure cancer doesn't stop young people from living their lives 💙

We are horrified by the racist and Islamophobic violence that has broken out in the UK over the last week. At Teenage Cancer Trust we have zero tolerance for harassment, hate speech and discrimination. At this distressing time, we offer our unwavering support and solidarity with all those affected. This includes the young people we support, our staff, our supporters and anyone who feels unsafe at work or in their communities.