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When cancer shows up, so do we. Our specialist social workers help children, young people and families navigate everything cancer throws at them. Welcome!

Thank you for joining Young Lives vs Cancer’s Facebook community. To make sure everyone has the best experience possible, please read and follow our house rules. Please understand that comments posted by fans of the Young Lives vs Cancer page should not be taken to represent the views of Young Lives vs Cancer. House rules:

- Please respect every member of our community that comments on the Young Lives vs Cancer page, even if their views are different to yours. Stay friendly and disagree respectfully.

- Young Lives vs Cancer reserves the right to hide or delete any comment or content deemed inappropriate. This may include:
- off-topic or redundant comments (including the promotion of activities not related to Young Lives vs Cancer)
- inappropriate language or hate speech. Racist, sexist, homophobic or any other discriminatory language will not be tolerated
- personal information. Do not share your own or others' personal contact information in your comments
- comments that violate the privacy of our staff or volunteers, or the people we support.

- This is not a community to gain medical advice. Please avoid giving medical advice to other community members - even if something worked for you, it may not be appropriate for someone else's treatment. We will remove any posts or replies in which users give medical advice. If another community member gives you medical advice, please don’t follow it.

- Comments that express the intent to self-harm in any way or to commit su***de, encourage others to do so, or praise harmful behaviours will be removed. If you are concerned about yourself, or about another community member, please call, or ask the user to call, Samaritans on 116 123. You might also find the information on this NHS webpage useful: https://www.nhs.uk/mental-health/feelings-symptoms-behaviours/behaviours/help-for-suicidal-thoughts/

- Young Lives vs Cancer understands that community members may want to respectfully disagree or complain about a service via the comments on this page. We aim to reply to these quickly and to resolve matters offline. Community members who persistently complain via this community once their initial comment has been responded to or dealt with will have their comments removed from the page.

- Young Lives vs Cancer reserves the right to block anyone who persistently breaks the house rules.

- Please be aware that if we feel you are a Young Lives vs Cancer service user in a vulnerable position, or in need of additional support, we may consult our Young Lives vs Cancer social care team in order to help you. You can contact them for support via our website: https://www.younglivesvscancer.org.uk/what-we-do/day-to-day-support/live-chat/

28/10/2026

10 years ago, we shared Crystal's story. Today, we're proud to share where she is now:

Shortly after her 18th birthday, Crystal was diagnosed with a rare bone cancer in her upper jaw. As the tumour grew, it became disfiguring, leaving her struggling with her confidence at a time when she was studying performing arts and dreaming of a career on stage.

She said: “I spent the next two years hiding in my room, ashamed of what cancer had done to me and my appearance. Although I was grateful that the surgeons removed the tumour, it did not release the physical and emotional trauma.”

Throughout treatment and recovery, Crystal was supported by Sam, her Young Lives vs Cancer Social Worker, who helped her access practical, emotional and financial support.

“Sam was a really funny guy; he really cared about the young people he was around.”

When Crystal felt unable to continue with performing arts, she began exploring new opportunities in the arts and received a Young Lives vs Cancer grant to help pursue her ambitions.

“When I got the grant, it was like life was finally being kind to me again. I could look forward to something outside of the hospital.”

Now, at 28, Crystal reflects on how much life has changed over the last decade.

She said: “After a decade of having facial cancer my life has changed drastically. I ticked off a bucket list hike in the Lake District, wrote my first two plays through the lens of young people with cancer and I am currently writing a full-length play, While We Are Here, about three young cancer patients.

"Young Lives vs Cancer continue to support me as I make plans to undergo reconstructive surgery, and their support and cheerleading gives me the freedom to embrace my dreams and be who I am today."

Today, Crystal also runs a support group for young people who have experience of facial cancers.

This October marks 10 years of support from the players of Postcode Lottery In the last decade, they've helped us raise over £26 million so we can be there for families like Crystal's. Thank you to all the players for showing up for children and young people with cancer.

27/10/2026

“I just couldn’t take it in - it made no sense. All I could say was ‘but I have got her school uniform here’. The day before I had a fighting fit daughter, and suddenly we were hearing it was leukaemia.”

Maisie was seven years old when a sore shoulder led to her being unexpectedly diagnosed with leukaemia. Urgently transferred from Northampton to a specialist cancer centre at Nottingham University Hospital, her family travelled with only the clothes they were wearing.

Her family was faced with a four hour round trip from home, with the hospital only able to offer a camp bed for one parent by her bedside on the ward. Maisie also found being isolated in hospital very difficult.

Mum Sarah said: “She was afraid, and in such a lot of pain. We couldn't cuddle her. She wouldn’t talk to anybody. She was just very, very frightened and would curl up in a ball. It was very hard to see our happy-go-lucky little girl like that.”

When the family met their Young Lives vs Cancer social worker, they were offered a free place to stay at Billy’s House, one of our Home from Home close to Maisie’s treatment centre. Staying here helped Maisie enjoy ‘normal’ things and spend time with her sister and friend.

Sarah said: “Maisie’s sister Cecily came up on the weekends to hang out with her and watch DVDs. One of Maisie’s school friends came up for an afternoon and they baked cookies. You just couldn’t do that in a hospital.”

Maisie underwent two years of treatment, then was in remission for 18 months. She relapsed just as the coronavirus shutdown was underway.

Sarah said: “When Maisie started losing her hair she said, ‘’Don’t worry mummy - it's a good thing: You can tape my wig to my head, so it won’t fall off when I am hanging upside down on the monkey bars!’ That ability to pull the positives out of every situation, just epitomises Maisie to me.”

This October marked 10 years of support from the players of Postcode Lottery UK. In the last decade, they've helped us raise over £26 million to be there for families like Maisie’s, including being able to offer places to families in our Homes from Homes. Thank you to all the players for showing up for children and young people with cancer.

26/10/2026

“One of the most positive aspects of my recovery has been connecting with other young people who have had cancer. Being part of the [Young Lives vs Cancer] Voice Board has been amazing and for making a lasting impact for other people as well as myself.”

Amber joined us at SNP conference last weekend to discuss the “Future of Cancer Care and Support for Children and Young People" at an event jointly run by Young Lives vs Cancer, CCLG: The Children and Young People’s Cancer Association and Teenage Cancer Trust. Amber shared her priorities with the panel, and the key challenges she believes the strategy needs to address, especially the financial hardships, long-term impact and side effects, mental health support and better support for those returning to work after cancer and its treatment.

Amber was in her final university exams at Edinburgh when she found out that she had Chronic Myeloid Leukaemia (CML). Because CML is a slow-growing cancer, Amber had experienced symptoms didn't seem related to each other for nearly three years before her diagnosis.

Treated as an outpatient, Amber regularly made five-hour round trips between her university in Edinburgh, her GP surgery in St Andrews and the Haematology clinic in Dundee Ninewells Hospital for treatment and monitoring appointments. Alongside managing her studies and the financial pressures, Amber found "difficult and exhausting". Young Lives vs Cancer helped Amber to access grants and apply for financial support.

Amber was a student and had to leave her part-time job because of the side effects, so she applied for disability benefits like PIP (now ADP in Scotland).

“I eventually received Universal Credit and PIP because the treatment left me with severe fatigue that affected my ability to work after university. But it took over a year from starting treatment, to receive benefits, to go through a tribunal process and complete additional paperwork even though I had letters from my GP It’s traumatising and stressful.

Chronic Myeloid Leukaemia is a lifelong cancer, and Amber will continue to be monitored and potentially receive treatment for life.

Together with young people like Amber, Young Lives vs Cancer is calling for the refreshed Cancer Strategy for Children and Young People in Scotland to address all the needs of children and young people with cancer, including the practical, financial, emotional and mental health impacts of cancer.

09/10/2026

“This support helps fund stays for families in our Homes from Home so they can stay close to their child during treatment, as well as ensuring our specialist social workers can provide the vital emotional, financial and practical support families rely on.” Rachel Kirby-Rider, Chief Executive at Young Lives vs Cancer

A celebration event marking an incredible milestone was held at The Opera House in Tunbridge Wells, an impressive historic venue that once was an opera house and is now the Wetherspoon pub that has raised an incredible £76,886 since the partnership with Young Lives vs Cancer began.

Rachel Kirby-Rider said: “JD Wetherspoon staff and customers have shown incredible dedication and generosity over more than two decades of partnership. Their phenomenal £27 million has helped us be there for thousands of children and young people with cancer and their families at the most difficult time in their lives. We’re so grateful to everyone across JD Wetherspoon for their continued commitment. Every fundraiser, every donation and every initiative has helped us make a real difference.”

Since 2002, when the partnership began, Wetherspoon pub teams and customers across the UK have gone above and beyond to fundraise for the charity – from raffles and quizzes to football tournaments, mountain climbs and skydives. An employee at The Opera House pub, 18-year-old Freddie Skarbek, ran from Land’s End to John O’Groats for and raised more than £30,000.

Rachel Kirby-Rider was delighted to meet Freddie in person and thank him for his incredible fundraising efforts. She said: “I’d like to say a special thank you to Freddie who undertook the most incredible challenge, running more than a marathon a day for 37 days in a row to raise vital funds for young people with cancer, we are so grateful for his support.”

Staff from both organisations celebrated the successful partnership together, with tea and cakes, with ambitions to carrying on achieving more to support children and young people with cancer and their families.

02/10/2026

“Lucy had her old life and now she has another life. She’s a positive person, she sees being a national wheelchair tennis player as an opportunity to enjoy the sport she loves.”

Lucy was seven when a teacher noticed her struggling to run the daily school mile and her mum found a lump on the side of her thigh. A visit to the doctor and subsequent X-ray resulted in her bone cancer diagnosis.

Before her diagnosis and treatment Lucy had played tennis with her dad every Saturday morning. Lucy underwent eight months of treatment which affected her mobility. She now has a prosthetic limb inside her leg and is using crutches and a wheelchair.

Meeting wheelchair tennis champion Alfie Hewett and watching him play at Wimbledon was her inspiration to find an exciting new opportunity.

Mum Helga recalls: “Being up close and watching them play, Lucy said, ‘That’s much more difficult than normal tennis.’ Then she said, ‘I think I’d like to do that.’”

With Alfie’s guidance, Lucy attended a Lawn Tennis Association “come and try” wheelchair session in Norwich. Excitingly, just two months later, she took part in a national talent event and was selected for the national under-14 wheelchair tennis programme: Lucy was one of only eight young players chosen from across the country.

“From there, our lives have been pretty much tennis—but in a good way,” says Helga. “It’s given both of us structure, hope, travel and completely different experiences.”

Lucy is aspiring to be a wheelchair pro tennis player, after playing for the national under 14s team in the Lawn Tennis Association wheelchair programme. She currently ranks No. 6 in the world in under 18 wheelchair tennis.

Our partner JD Wetherspoon created a tennis racket and ball-shaped pin badge inspired by Lucy’s story. For a suggested £1 donation, you can buy one at your local JD Wetherspoon and help us be there for young people with cancer and their families.

30/09/2026

To mark the final day of Childhood Cancer Awareness Month, our campaign message is lighting up the iconic BT Tower 💛

When cancer shows up, so do we.

Every conversation, every share and every act of support helps shine a light on the realities faced by children, young people and families affected by cancer.

If you spot it, share a photo and help us spread the word 💛

24/09/2026

"Whenever Hassan walked into a room, he would light it up."

Hassan was just 19 and in his second year at university when he was diagnosed with leukaemia. His sister Sadia describes him as a kind, private and loved young man who had a huge passion for football.

After his diagnosis, Hassan had to put his university studies on hold to focus on treatment. He underwent chemotherapy and spent much of his time in hospital, where he met Mikela, his Young Lives vs Cancer specialist social worker. She soon became someone he trusted.

Hassan's sister Sadia said: “You can speak to your family members, but sometimes it can be difficult for them to hear things like, ‘I don’t want to do this anymore,’ because you want them to keep fighting. I understood Hassan became tired but our family couldn’t come to terms with his condition.

"With Mikela, Hassan could speak openly. He was a very private person, but she made him feel comfortable. They built a bond where he knew he could talk to her confidentially, without feeling judged."

Mikela also helped the family access practical support, including grants for food and travel, and items that gave Hassan a welcome distraction in hospital.

Sadia said: "We didn’t enjoy the hospital food, and eating the same things repeatedly became too much. Mikela knew about a charity that could help fund food for us, and we had the money by the end of the week which helped us buy food that Hassan liked."

Sadly, Hassan was not responding to treatment and passed away peacefully aged 20, with his family by his side.

For Sadia and her family, the loss of Hassan has been incredibly painful. But the support they received during his illness gave them comfort during some of the most difficult moments of their lives.

Sadia said: "As a family, we have gone through and still going through the pain of losing someone we love so deeply. The support we had, especially from Mikela, helped us so much."

Our partner JD Wetherspoon have created a football-shaped pin badge inspired by Hassan’s story. For a suggested £1 donation, you can buy one at your local JD Wetherspoon and help us be there for young people with cancer and their families.

23/09/2026

“Mabel didn’t qualify for financial support because she didn’t have cancer for ‘long enough’. I thought ‘this is appalling’ – just because she finished treatment, she’s not suddenly better. She’s still getting over all the effects from such aggressive treatment – it still impacts our life.”

Mum Rachael has been calling for improvements to the benefits system so families of children with cancer get access to the vital support they need quicker.

Rachael and Scott’s daughter Mabel was diagnosed with Wilm’s tumour around Christmas 2023. Rachel took six months off work to care for her daughter, but her application for Disability Living Allowance (DLA), awarded on appeal over a year later, was originally denied. The reason given was that Mabel treatment plan was ‘too short’.

Rachael said: “I think the application for DLA is set up to fail people at the first hurdle. A letter from the consultant should be enough without having to fill out an application that is far too long, in depth, and repetitive. With everything people are going through with their child not everyone is going to be able to deal with that too!”

Rachael was able to take six months off work fully paid and dad Scott would travel back and forth to the hospital and work at her bedside. They felt very lucky that their employers were supportive during this stressful time so they were not wholly reliant on waiting for the DLA approval, despite their increased costs each month. They were also grateful for the support from their Young Lives vs Cancer social worker, Katie, who helped them navigate the challenges of applying for Mabel’s DLA.

Rachael said: “It can be months waiting for confirmation for DLA. This is wrong. Support needs to be available from day one and it shouldn’t matter what your diagnosis or prognosis is. People are faced with the choice of all the costs that come with taking their child for treatment, and whether they put food on the table or pay rent or mortgage that month and I just can’t believe families are having to make those choices.”

Rachael was interviewed on East Midlands Politics on Sunday, speaking about her campaign for the process of applying for DLA to be improved for families of children with cancer. Click on the in the comments to watch her interview.

22/09/2026

“You need to have so much empathy for people who are going through cancer, because it’s life-changing and debilitating. It really affects your everyday life.”

Montana was diagnosed with a rare type of sarcoma while at university. At the time, she was very active and a keen dancer, but a tumour growing in her spine caused intense pain and impacted her mobility.

Montana said: “I felt the pain all over my body, any time I moved I was in really bad pain. It was like my nerves were sending signals through my body.”

Montana underwent 28 sessions of radiotherapy to shrink the tumour, but she’ll need to monitor it for the rest of her life.

She said: “It's a type of cancer that’s not really curable. No matter what they do it could still come back, even if they operated on me to remove it.

“I can’t dance like I used to before, I'm very restricted with what I can and can’t do. I do acting and I learn lines. I really enjoy watching movies and series online. I spend a lot of time at home these days and I go to cinema quite a lot.”

Through it all, Montana was supported by Mikela, her Young Lives vs Cancer specialist social worker. Mikela stayed by her side and helped her access financial and emotional support.

Montana said: “Mikela was the best. She would come and give me coffee and snacks and she got my eyebrows laminated. She was the one who helped me apply for Personal Independence Payment (PIP), and she’s shown me loads of other things that are on offer for people with disabilities.

“PIP has been really helpful because I'm not working. I used to be a waitress or work in retail but now I can’t stand or walk around all day. The fact I have PIP means I have a flow of money, so I can meet my friends and get an Uber.”

If you’ve read this far, we wanted to say thank you for showing up for people like Montana – whether you’ve engaged with our social media posts, donated, fundraised or volunteered. Thank you for making sure children and young people with cancer always have the support they need. ❤️

21/09/2026

“The physical side [of cancer and treatment] everyone knows about but nobody knows about how it’s going to affect you mentally.”

Just after his dad passed away, Ainsley started to experience severe headaches. He went back and forth to the doctors and eye clinic until finally a doctor suggested going for scans at A&E. When he arrived, he collapsed at the entrance doors and was rushed in for examination. They found a mass on his brain, which was stopping the fluid around his brain from flowing, so he had an operation and biopsy. He was later diagnosed with a brain tumour and had to go through chemotherapy and proton therapy. Ainsley was very into fitness but due to his diagnosis he had to learn to walk again.

“My family and my friends rallied around me at that time. It was quite hard telling friends. I didn’t know how to approach the situation. I thought I can’t just message them and say, ‘by the way, I’ve got cancer’.”

Ainsley said that the support from Eve, his Young Lives vs Cancer social worker was incredibly important to him. She encouraged him to go for an emergency MRI where it was discovered that his tumour had haemorrhaged. This changed his treatment plan and further impacted his studies – he had been in his third year at university when he was diagnosed. Eve was in touch with his lecturers, and arrangements were worked out to ensure he could complete his degree in Sports Development, in which he achieved a 2:1. A worthwhile achievement as he looks forward to what he wants to achieve in his future.

We know that the impact of cancer goes beyond diagnosis and treatment, which is why Young Lives vs Cancer are at the Autumn political party conferences again this year, asking MPs to help us build a better system of care and support for children and young people with cancer and their families.

Come and talk to us there and follow the link to our website in the comments where you can encourage your MP to come and talk to us at the conferences too . Help us make sure children and young people with cancer get the support they need.

Address

4th Floor, Whitefriars, Lewins Mead
Bristol
BS12NT

Opening Hours

Monday	9am - 5pm
Tuesday	9am - 5pm
Wednesday	9am - 5pm
Thursday	9am - 5pm
Friday	9am - 5pm

Website

https://www.younglivesvscancer.org.uk/

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