A day in the life of Kerry, a Young Lives vs Cancer specialist social worker

Thanks to you, I can support children and young people going through the toughest times of their lives. Right now, I’m working alongside 26 families at different stages of their cancer experience – from diagnosis to the end of a child’s life.

No two days are ever the same. I’m based at Royal Marsden Hospital in Surrey, so I might start with a ward visit to a teenager feeling isolated during a long hospital stay. Then I could spend time helping a family understand their child’s treatment. In the middle of all that, I may get a distressed call from a parent anxious about spiralling costs. 

Families face huge emotional and financial strain. Parents are caring for their ill child but also supporting their other children and older family members. They’re frightened about whether the treatment will work. And they’re worrying about the loss of income, as they may have to stop work to care for their child. 

Recently, I helped a family move from a cramped top-floor flat to a more spacious bungalow, which was much more suited to what they needed. That meant writing letters to the housing officers, empowering the mum to speak to her MP, and helping them fill in long forms so they could get their Disability Living Allowance. 

The child’s sister was struggling, so I set her up with a local cheerleading club to give her a bit of time to enjoy herself. Together with a local charity, I also helped the family organise a special day out to a theme park, so they can spend some golden time together.

These precious moments are what you make possible. Your kindness means families don’t face a cancer diagnosis on their own.