‘Despite it all, every win matters’: Young people celebrate their wins while facing cancer this World Cancer Day

This World Cancer Day (Friday February 4 2022), young people supported by Young Lives vs Cancer, are encouraging all children and young people with cancer and their friends or families to take a moment to celebrate the big and small, ‘despite it all’. Young people are sharing their big achievements and small wins across the charity’s social media channels in the lead up to World Cancer Day, and during an Instagram live too. They are also asking the public to buy a wristband or fundraise to ‘band together’ and show their support for young cancer patients going through treatment now. 

This campaign comes as the charity finds young people with cancer in many areas of the UK are still receiving the news they have cancer or facing treatment alone, due to coronavirus restrictions. While the charity’s support services continue to help young people find the strength to face cancer amid a global pandemic, the Young Lives vs Cancer community of families and supporters are taking a moment to recognise the big and small wins children and young people with cancer have achieved during this time. From stepping out of bed to stepping on the stage, every triumph when you’re young and living with cancer deserves to be celebrated.  

A survey conducted by the charity in February 2021, found that 52% of young people and families supported by the charity felt they were not coping well with the pandemic and 39% of young people were having to face their treatment alone, with no visitors. However, the survey shows that with help, young people were able to feel more positive. 95% of respondents said that support from Young Lives vs Cancer made a positive difference to their life. 

This World Cancer Day, young people who have or have had cancer are taking over the charity’s social media channels to share their experiences and encourage others to share their big and small wins. Three young people, Rian, Crystal and Eleanor, are also taking part in a live discussion panel on the charity’s Instagram channel in the evening of World Cancer Day to discuss their achievements and how important those ‘small wins’ are when going through treatment. 

Crystal Marshall, 23-year-old LAMDA student from Birmingham, will be sharing her story on the discussion panel after being diagnosed with a facial sarcoma at 18-years-old. 

“I was an energetic, friendly and confident young woman who aspired to be an actress until suddenly, my face was changed by cancer. 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.” 

Now, Crystal is an aspiring actress studying at LAMDA and has starred in short film Face It: Leonie, to raise awareness of facial equality, which she says is her biggest achievement to date. 

In amongst all of the big achievements, Crystal says a moment that stands out for her was the first time she felt confident enough to walk out on her own. 

“A small win that stands out was when I felt comfortable enough to go to places by myself. In the past, I was terrified that if I was alone then I may get verbal abuse because of how I looked. But when I took the first steps to go to the shops in an area I knew or the park, I realised that was not the case.” 

22-year-old Rian Harvey from Weymouth will also join the panel to speak about his experience of being diagnosed with cancer at just 14.  

“At the age of 14, the world feels infinite. Life feels guaranteed, you feel invincible. It’s a fantastic age in a lot of aspects. We have huge aspirations for the world, goals to set, things to achieve. It doesn’t seem to be until we are older that we notice the smaller, finite things more often.  

“I was very much the same as any other 14-year-old, until 20 September when I found myself in a hospital bed looking at a strange consultant who was essentially crushing my world (inadvertently) and putting all that I thought was as good as guaranteed on the line, including the hope of growing old. The words ‘yes think it might be cancer’ propelled me decades forward. I had to grow up quick, I had to realise this gift of life was just that a gift, it took time, it was confusing, I was scared and angry, but we got there…we all get there, eventually.” 

Now, Rian shares his story on his own Instagram channel @thelcard as a bid to encourage other young people who have or have had cancer, especially fellow young men, to talk and acknowledge what they have been through. 

“For me, when I reflect back on my achievements during cancer, it was completing seven GCSEs during chemotherapy just before my transplant – even though I’d missed a good year of school.” 

“As cancer grew further into my past, yet stayed prominent in my memories I started to realise that there was a problem, not just with me but with the way society sees cancer. I was talking about it like some kind of prison sentence I’d seen out. I was ashamed, I’d hide it. That did nothing but eat away at me.  

“When I opened up it felt good, and I guessed if I was a young male doing it, putting myself in vulnerable situations, opening up, then maybe it would encourage others to talk. I’ve started to build a community through that with The L Card. It’s not only, hopefully, helping others, it’s also helping me. I want to change stigmas, unsettle the ‘norm’ of how we do things, show people the gift that is life, and how to enjoy the big and small parts of every day.” 

Another young person speaking on the Instagram live is 23-year-old Eleanor Wood from Bournemouth. Eleanor was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s lymphoma last year and received her diagnosis over the phone. Due to covid restrictions, Eleanor had to go in for treatment and hospital admissions alone, often hearing results and news for the first time, on her own. 

Eleanor said: “It was six months of chemo, every two weeks. Straight away I had every single symptom, side effect that they knew of really. It was a complete shock to my body. I lost all my hair and was really quite ill a lot of the time.” 

Eleanor’s parents would have to drop her off at the door of the hospital, and wouldn’t see her again until the end of her cycle, when they could see the impact of the side effects. 

“They found it very distressing to drop me off in a seemingly good state and pick me up and help me hobble back home in a horrible drowsy and sick state. I think for them, not seeing the progression or the treatment taking place made it hard to process and just shocking every single time I had chemo.” 

Despite the many challenges Eleanor faced, she was able to continue her university studies and even set up a business while on chemotherapy. 

“I never imagined going to uni, and I never thought I’d get a First, yet I did both those things with cancer, because the idea of graduating with my course mates got me through. I also clung onto my career aspirations and I started my own business during treatment with the help of a small team and just over a year later we are hoping to release our first product very soon!” 

As well as the big things Eleanor has achieved, she recalls one ‘small win’ that she will never forget while going through treatment: “There are so many other things I have achieved since having cancer, even small moments like when I took a sip of tea for the first time after losing my appetite for it during treatment. The relief of getting my tea breaks back was enormous.” 

Rachel Kirby-Rider, Chief Executive at Young Lives vs Cancer said: “Going through cancer when you’re young is life shattering, you have big plans and dreams and then cancer comes along and puts a line through it all. Children and young people we support now are facing this as well as the added pressure of an ongoing pandemic. On top of isolation and fear, many young people have had to face news and treatment alone without someone holding their hand, due to restrictions.   

“After an especially tough couple of years for young people we support, we believe every win is an achievement. Whether that’s graduating, getting that first job or some days just putting one foot in front of the other.” 

Eleanor, Crystal and Rian will all be sharing their stories across Young Lives vs Cancer’s social media channels in the lead up to World Cancer Day. On Friday 4 February 2022 they will also all be taking part in a live discussion about what it’s like to have cancer when you’re young and the achievements to celebrate at 7pm.