Eleanor’s story

“I continued to say something was wrong, but I was told I was too young for anything serious,” she says. Her mum printed her blood results, highlighted the concerning changes and pushed for further investigation.

The diagnosis turned family life upside down. Eleanor’s mum stopped working to care for her, while her dad worked and supported Eleanor’s younger brother. With both parents self-employed, the financial pressure was significant. 

“It felt like everyone was able to move forward with their life and I was stuck in a hamster wheel,” Eleanor says. 

Eleanor had four rounds of chemotherapy, which brought hair loss, joint problems and steroid-related changes. Returning gradually to the gym helped rebuild her strength. Although she missed much of her A-level year, she chose to sit her exams rather than repeat it. 

“Cancer gave me the motivation to keep going and prove to myself and others that I could do it,” she says. 

Treatment left Eleanor isolated: she could no longer work as a lifeguard or visit crowded places because of infection risk. Recovery was not simply a return to normal.
 “Once I’d finished treatment, I was treated like it was old news,” she says. “My hair was still yet to grow back, and I was still trying to rebuild myself.” A counsellor and friends she met during treatment helped her understand that her feelings were normal.

Eleanor travelled around 90 minutes for treatment. Her Young Lives vs Cancer social worker, Mikela, arranged for her family to stay at Paul’s House, a charity Home from Home near the hospital.

“Mikela was always so supportive and helped my family in the toughest of times, like setting me up in Paul’s House,” Eleanor says. “Being able to stay somewhere just across the road was a huge privilege, it saved us from struggling even more than we already did.” 

Paul’s House also gave Eleanor a sense of connection. “It was an incredible place to stay,” she says. “It was nice to hear the inspiring stories of others I shared the house with.” 

After finishing treatment, Eleanor travelled to Indonesia and had an amazing time volunteereing at a turtle sanctuary.  Since then she’s been working and mentally rebuilding after her experience, and is now moving forward with her studies and going on to university to study Broadcast and Multimedia Journalism.

“Working closely with Young Lives vs Cancer and being an ambassador for other youth cancer charities has really helped me grow a passion for the subject. I’m excited to grow my passions into a professional career as a broadcast journalist.” 

“Cancer has forever changed the way I view life,” she says. “I’ve decided to take every opportunity I’m given and live my life to the fullest.”

“It was amazing to volunteer with turtle conservation in Indonesia following my treatment, it felt like a complete refresh. I’m so excited about being able to share this experience and give people going through treatment hope that it gets better, and that I can help raise money for Young Lives Vs Cancer.”