From the number of times symptoms are overlooked or dismissed as “growing pains” or “hormones” to the lack of mental health support or the fact that they miss out on potentially life-saving clinical trials, too many young people are struggling to get the cancer care they need. This is the whole reason why Teenage Cancer Trust was founded – to advocate for and support young people who might otherwise be overlooked within the health system.
Right now, we have an opportunity to change things for the better, thanks to the work that's being done on the National Cancer Plan for England – something we have been campaigning for with other charities over the last few years.
We were pleased to see this vital plan brought back by the government, but we know that often conversations about cancer care focus just on children and older adults. Again and again, we find ourselves having to say the words “and young people”. That's why we launched our #AndYoungPeople campaign, which is urging the government to make sure this age group's unique and specific needs are included and addressed in the plan.
Getting a cancer diagnosis in the first place is harder for teenagers and young adults. In a 2023 survey, 48% of teenagers and young adults diagnosed with cancer had to see their GP three or more times before referral – the most out of any age group. They also often fall through the cracks when it comes to accessing potentially lifesaving clinical trials because of age restrictions, and access to critical mental health support is patchy.
Cancer is the biggest disease-related killer of young people, and for those who survive, going through it without the right care and support can be devastating. You only get one chance at being young, and those years will shape the person you become – your relationships and career, your confidence and wellbeing, and your ability to pursue your dreams. No one benefits if these current inequalities faced by young people with cancer continue. So why is it still happening?
We don't believe in raising problems without also suggesting solutions, which is why we have been working with MPs, charity partners and the teams in government to develop the plan to share our recommendations.
These include improving diagnosis times by providing support and training for GPs and healthcare professionals so that they can increase their awareness of symptoms of cancer in young people. We also believe that a public health campaign to raise awareness of the main symptoms of cancer in the young is urgently needed.
We're calling for every young person with cancer in the UK to have the opportunity to participate in a clinical trial where a suitable one is available. And we believe that in every UK nation, every teenager and young adult with cancer must be able to access expert psychological support from a trained psychologist from the point of diagnosis and for a minimum of two years post-treatment.
We've seen some positive steps forward – including in the work we're doing with the Children and Young People's Cancer Taskforce, support from MPs and with so far over 1,300 people signing our open letter to the Health Secretary Wes Streeting. We'll keep amplifying the voices of young people to ensure they are not forgotten while the plan is drafted.
There's an opportunity right now for this government to change things for teenagers and young adults with cancer in England, improving their outcomes and to work collectively with us towards Teenage Cancer Trust's goal that young people with cancer in the UK will have the best outcomes and quality of life in the world. We trust that they won't want to miss that opportunity.
