Let's make change happen

Parents

More financial help and advice needed especially if parents can't continue to work.

Families

I would like to see a well financed support service for the families of children receiving cancer treatment. A good reliable and well informed liaison officer to provide guidance and explanation throughout. Someone who understands the full range of worries, concerns and practical issues impacting families beyond the actual medical treatment. It can be a very lonely and frightening experience.

My son

I would like to see more dedication and research into relapse protocols. Sadly, my son relapsed last year and we were told that the NHS could do no more. We were essentially left on our own to fight and research treatments abroad. Words cannot describe how alone and angry I felt. It seems that oncologists across the world do not share research and work that individual countries do. Collectively and united, everyone should be coming to together, working together to share knowledge and fight.

All young people affected by cancer.

I am sure it would be helpful if seminars for young families and young people could be arranged, I can’t help thinking that meeting up with others in a similar position would be helpful and supportive.

Children missing out on education.

I think there should be more support going into Cancer care.

My daughter

Better support for families to be together when their child is going through this. She was at uni and we were at home and we all had to travel really far to the hospital. We couldn't let her be alone so we always went but it cost so much money there were times we thought we might not be able to. You find a way to do it for your child, no matter how old they are they still need you

All the children going through cancer

I send all love and hugs and hope for the future for all to be cancer free

Myself

More physical rehab help for after treatment.

Bilbo and all the children and young people with cancer

Better support for families and young people when they need it! Financial, emotional, mental health, research, trials, educational needs, and understanding with employers! If you are fighting cancer you shouldn’t have to fight to get the help you need too! The government need to do more to listen and act!

Jamie

I would like to see more financial support for families. This does not seem to have changed in many years since we were in this position ourselves with my son jamie the malcolm sargent fund helped us with financial help we could never thank them enough. The goverment need to do much more for these familys and children with much more support and funding

Mphango

More financial help is so important at a time when illness strikes, work and income are difficult and travelling for treatment is expensive.

Holly Hall

I'd like to see less judgment when family's have had there lives tipped upside down, I was threatened with having my other children taken into care and evil such things should not have been threatened, Show were the support is don't rush in with clipboards and tick boxes, Allow family's time to make arrangements and adjust! Listen to understand don't listen to respond. There's lots of support out there but finding them is so so hard. I was so very lucky to have one on my door step once sign pos

Family an friends

Families going through traumatic treatment need everything else to be made easier such as having financial support and having accommodation stay near the hospital. Therapy support for the child, their siblings and Parents as appropriate to the ages, such as play or pet therapy and emotional support.

Everyone

I want to see our NHS given the support it deserves, not pulled apart under breaking-point strain.

Charlie

I want better specialist mental health support including after treatment.

Young adults

Support to young adults as a diagnosis may seem to massively change their life and make them feel alone. Really important to show them they can still have a great life and they are definitely not alone!

Empwer young people to talk more openly about cancer

In 2024, I want cancer to become less of a taboo subject, particularly among younger people. Society in general, still has a tendency to hide away from cancer as its perceived as something to be afraid of. However, as a young cancer survivor, I believe the opposite is true. I like to think of my cancer journey as a badge of honour and something to be immensely proud of. I therefore want to be able to empower young people in a similar position to do the same!

Young people with cancer

I'd like to see children and young people with cancer treated more fairly in education - this includes help with getting back into education after treatment, reasonable adjustments for exams, and a fair student finance system for those who have to drop out of uni or postpone their course.

For my brother and me, and for all young cancer patients of the future and their families who love them

I'd love to see a focus on connecting young cancer patients with each other, to be able to share the unique experiences of cancer. The community this could build could be so supportive and beneficial for their mental health. I'd also love to see more help for siblings through treatment and beyond, and especially with bereavement. There was no help for me and the effects are still with me every day 10 years later. I'd really love to see things start to change in a positive direction this year.

children and young people with cancer and their families

In 2024 I want it to be easier to get better mental health support, both for young people with cancer and their families. Getting the right support is so important and reaching out to get access to counselling, therapy or any other kind of support shouldn't be complicated for children, young people and families who have already been through so much.

Everyone child or young person who has been through treatment

It should be better recognised that the effects of cancer treatment as a child or young person can happen after treatment has finished. I would like to see better support in place for young people who have had cancer throughout their lives (for mental health and physical health)

All young people with cancer <3

I want to see all young people with cancer have the best support possible with their education. It is hard enough to study for exams, let alone when you are going through cancer treatment. The government should ensure no child or young person with cancer is left behind in their education

All the children, young people and families going through cancer

Children and young people's needs need to be recognised by those with the power to do something, and they should have a Plan for improving the support young people and families get (financial, mental health, employment, education) and improving things so children and young people are diagnosed more efficiently so can get their treatment and care as soon as possible

Children and young people with cancer

In 2024 I'd like to see a Travel Fund put in place for families who have to travel to get to hospital for treatment. I'd also like to see the limits on food bank visits lifted for young people with cancer and their families. In my area families can only visit food banks four times a month. If you're going through cancer treatment and struggling financially, it's not enough.