Hope for young futures

Children with Cancer UK is marking Teenage and Young Adult Cancer Awareness Month (TYACAM) this April by highlighting the experiences of the 2,300 young people diagnosed with cancer each year across the UK.

This year, the charity is sharing the story of Andrew, a 20-year-old History student at the University of Leeds, to underline why better awareness and support for young people affected by cancer remains urgently needed.

Andrew was diagnosed with leukaemia at just three years old, and the effects of treatment shaped his childhood, adolescence and the adult he has become. Cancer influenced his confidence, education and outlook as he grew up.

Now thriving at university, his story highlights how the impact of cancer can continue into young adulthood and reinforces the importance of TYACAM in ensuring teenagers and young adults receive support at every stage of their lives. Last year, he ran the London Marathon, an achievement he hopes will inspire other young survivors to take on challenges of their own.

Andrew’s cancer journey

Today, Andrew is thriving — balancing university life, sport and charity fundraising — but his early years were shaped by a gruelling three-year battle with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukaemia.

His parents vividly recall how their lively toddler suddenly became fatigued, with a swollen abdomen and blue lips that led to an emergency hospital admission. After urgent blood and platelet transfusions, a bone marrow test confirmed the diagnosis, beginning Andrew’s intensive treatment journey. Too young to remember the earliest days, he grew up with regular hospital visits, difficult medications and the weekly struggle of taking chemotherapy at home.

The first year brought some of the toughest challenges: infections, repeated hospital stays and steroid induced diabetes requiring insulin. Treatment side effects, weight gain and a squint caused by nerve damage, made school life difficult and led to several eye surgeries. But with determination, and the unwavering support of his mother, Andrew returned to school whenever possible and refused to let cancer define his childhood.

As treatment ended, Andrew slowly regained his strength. He rediscovered sport, playing rugby at school and later taking up rowing, activities that helped rebuild confidence and physical wellbeing. Now at Leeds, he is fully immersed in student life, from academic success to sporting achievement.

Andrew ran the TCS London Marathon in 2025, raising over £3,000 for Children with Cancer UK, and is currently training for the Sydney Marathon later this year. He hopes his determination and love of running will encourage other young people affected by cancer to believe in themselves and push for goals they once felt were out of reach.

Reflecting on his experience, Andrew said:

I wish people knew that getting cancer when you’re younger doesn’t just affect your life at that moment, it forces you to grow up differently. It made me stronger, but it also made me face things most children never have to think about. Sometimes I wondered what a ‘normal’ childhood felt like as I missed out on moments other children experienced.

Why TYACAM matters

Children with Cancer UK is once again supporting Teenage and Young Adult Cancer Awareness Month (TYACAM) this April, a UK wide campaign involving 20 charities working together to highlight the unique and often overlooked needs of teenagers and young adults aged 13–24 facing a cancer diagnosis.

Throughout the month, Children with Cancer UK will unite with partners across the sector to raise vital awareness, champion better support and services, and amplify the voices of young people whose lives have been impacted by cancer.

Teenagers and young adults experience cancer at a pivotal stage of life, just as they are gaining independence, forming identities and shaping their futures. Many young people face additional challenges during treatment, including puberty and fertility concerns, pressures on mental health and relationships, changes to body image, and disruption to education. Many still experience delayed diagnoses, harsh treatments and long-term side effects that can remain with them for life.

Key UK statistics include:

• 2,300 new cases of cancer in young people aged 13–24 each year
• Around six young people diagnosed every day
• 240 cancer deaths in young people annually
• 87% survive for five years or more, with around 13–14% experiencing life‑limiting outcomes
• Cancer incidence is highest among 20–24 year olds
• Risk factors remain poorly understood due to the rarity and diversity of these cancers

Children with Cancer UK continues to invest in pioneering research to improve treatment and quality of life for teenagers and young adults, whose needs often fall between paediatric and adult services. This includes funding a £287,000 project led by Dr Peter Nicholls and Dr Steven Shnyder at the University of Bradford, which is developing new therapies for germ cell tumours aimed at reducing the side effects of current treatments and supporting young adults whose cancer no longer responds to therapy.

The cross‑institutional study also involves co-investigators at the University of Huddersfield (Dr Simon Allison) and the University of Edinburgh (Professor Rod Mitchell). Working together to generate the evidence required to move this approach towards future clinical trials, the team’s work reflects Children with Cancer UK’s commitment to ensuring that every teenager and young adult receives care tailored to their specific biological and emotional needs.

Gavin Maggs, Chief Executive of Children with Cancer UK, said: 

Andrew’s journey shows how deeply cancer can affect a young person’s life, even long after treatment ends. His message, and the voices of teenagers and young adults across the UK, highlight why elevating teenage voices is essential if we’re to understand their needs and improve support. This TYACAM, Children with Cancer UK is determined to push forward the research and support that will allow every teenager and young adult to move beyond cancer and thrive, just as Andrew is inspiringly doing today.

For more information on how you can support teenagers and young adults facing cancer, visit www.childrenwithcancer.org.uk