Cancer is hard. Facing it alone is harder.
Will you help us be there for families when cancer shows up? Donate now.
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How prevalent is cancer in children?
Although survival rates are over 80%, cancer remains the single largest cause of death from disease in children and young people in the UK.
12 children and young people are diagnosed with cancer every day, and it remains the biggest killer by disease for this age group.
The impact of cancer at a young age is huge. Young people who’ve had cancer are nearly twice as likely to report high anxiety as the general public.
At 19, Enlli had to fight to be taken seriously before finally being diagnosed with Stage 3 ovarian cancer. Ten months of knowing something wasn’t right. Multiple GP visits. Being told it was anxiety, or something minor. One day, she spent over 16 hours in A&E – still no answers.
It shouldn’t be this hard.
Young people are facing delays in diagnosis, exhausting travel for treatment, financial pressure, and gaps in mental health support when they need it most.
When cancer shows up, so do we.
Why is cancer in children different from cancer in adults?
Children and young people with cancer need special treatment because their cancer is different to adults’ and it can only be treated in certain hospitals, many miles from home. 71% of young people and families say they are struggling to meet the costs of travelling to treatment. Our Homes from Home give families a place to stay, free of charge, near key hospitals while their loved one undergoes treatment.
For families facing cancer, a Home from Home is more than a free place to stay. It’s a place that feels like home. It’s having the time for a home-cooked meal together or a mug of hot chocolate with a bedtime story. But most of all, when everything else is uncertain, it’s a chance to just be together.
Cancer doesn’t have to mean families are torn apart. That special moments are lost. You can help keep families together.
What Young Lives vs Cancer Do
Today, 12 children and young people will hear the news that they have cancer. In an instant, their whole world can feel like it’s turned upside down.
Playtime is stopped. Independence is taken. Confidence is stolen. It can result in years of education missed, careers put on hold just as they’re starting. It’s watching countless opportunities pass by as debt begins to pile up. The impact of cancer on young lives is more than medical. That’s why we exist.
Young Lives vs Cancer is the only charity in the UK with specialist social workers who provide tailored support to children and young people with cancer, and their families. We help them to navigate the emotional and practical impact of cancer. And we stop at nothing to make their voices heard and their unique needs understood, so they can get the right care and support at the right time.
Donate todayOther ways to support Young Lives vs Cancer
Support us
Whether you want to fundraise, take on a challenge or volunteer for Young Lives vs Cancer, we’ve got everything you need.
Find out about ways to support us
Campaign for change
We make sure the voices and experiences of young cancer patients, and their families are heard by decision makers.
Campaign for young cancer patients