Hitachi Solutions partners with Young Lives vs Cancer

Hitachi Solutions, a global IT consultancy and part of the Hitachi group, will be partnering with Young Lives vs Cancer to help them change the lives of families and children who have been affected by cancer.  

Young Lives vs Cancer help young people (0-25) with cancer and their families to face everything cancer throws at them. The charity’s specialist social workers offer empowering support to help families face the emotional impact of a cancer diagnosis.  

They also offer financial and practical support by liaising with schools, employers and help families access grants and benefits. Young Lives vs Cancer provide grants to help families with the costs of cancer including petrol, parking and food. The charity also has 11 Homes from Home across the UK, a free place for families to stay close by while their child is going through treatment. 

The team at Hitachi Solutions have partnered with Christina Mackay at Pledge to Thrive, a specialist consultancy providing invaluable purpose driven support to businesses. They are looking forward to getting involved in various challenges and events over the course of this year to raise vital funds for the charity. This will include fundraising through challenges such as the London to Paris bike ride, colleague events, volunteering and supporting Young Lives vs Cancer’s flagship campaign during Childhood Cancer Awareness Month in September.  

During their recent launch event, Poppy Stewart-Brown, 26, a young person supported by the charity, shared her experience of being diagnosed with Ewing’s Sarcoma two days before giving birth to her daughter, Arabella, at just 23. She spoke about what it was like to be diagnosed with cancer at a young age and how her Young Lives vs Cancer social worker helped her find the strength to face cancer and everything it threw at her. 

Poppy said: “Young Lives vs Cancer were there for my family and I right from the start of treatment. They helped us with parking expenses to providing my partner and I with vouchers to decorate our first family home. They have been a massive help giving me opportunities to share my story to raise awareness of cancer within young people who are pregnant.” 

Inspired by Poppy’s story, staff at Hitachi Solutions are ready to start their year of fundraising to help other children and young people facing cancer.  

Jess Smith, European Human Resources Director at Hitachi Solutions said: 

“This is a very important partnership to us. Young Lives vs Cancer are doing amazing work and we have very determined teams of people who are eager to help make a difference. Hearing Poppy’s story and knowing there are many more stories like Poppy’s makes us especially motivated to contribute as much as we can.”  

Rachel Kirby-Rider Chief Executive at Young Lives vs Cancer said: “We are absolutely delighted to have been chosen as Hitachi Solutions first charity partner and look forward to working together to help raise vital funds for young people facing cancer.  

“The money raised will help Young Lives vs Cancer continue to be there for young people, like Poppy. To help navigate the emotional and financial impact of going through cancer treatment as a young person. Thank you, Hitachi Solutions.”