Let's here from Young Lives vs Cancer's Fundraising Engagement Manager Claire Cobban about what this fabulous charity does for young people suffering from cancer.....
Social workers
Everything changes after a cancer diagnosis. Our specialist social workers help children and young people with cancer and their families navigate the emotional and practical impact of cancer. From supporting families applying for financial support, to talking to a child’s school when they’ve been diagnosed or helping to arrange accommodation for families close to hospital, our specialist social workers are experts in helping families handle the day-to-day challenges that come with a child’s cancer diagnosis.
They work in all the main children’s cancer hospitals and where children and young people receive their cancer treatment. One young person said:
“My first contact with Young Lives vs Cancer was the day of my diagnosis, we were taken into a small room which had multiple different members of staff from the hospital in and one of the members was from Young Lives vs Cancer who I’m still in contact with to this day which is nice. My social worker was able to get my family support, grants from different charities and even a new Xbox for myself to help with isolation and the new diagnosis.”
Homes from Home
Marion’s House is just an 11-minute walk from the Royal Children’s Hospital in Glasgow, and it has 11 en-suite bedrooms for families to stay in. Last year, 66 families stayed in Marion’s House, for an average of 18 nights. The longest stay was 327 nights.
Having accommodation close to the hospital means families can save time and money commuting to hospital daily – and focus on their child. Families can use the kitchen to cook, so they can have the comfort and affordability of home cooked dinners. They can do their washing so their child has fresh pyjamas – that smell like home. All these homes comforts mean so much when your world has been turned upside down.
One parent said: “Without the Home from Home I’m not sure what we’d have done – we would’ve been lost without it.”
You can take a virtual tour of Marion’s house here
Bereavement Support
When the worst happens and a child dies, we’re here for families.
Young Lives vs Cancer social workers offer ongoing bereavement support to families and loved ones. Our support is guided by what works for the family. We may undertake home visits; or we might meet parents in a park or coffee shop if this feels more comfortable. We can provide memory boxes when a child is at the end of their life. We have a publication, “In Our Words” which was written by the parents of a child who died of cancer. This contains stories from bereaved parents from a wide range of backgrounds and highlights that there is no right or wrong way to deal with the death of a child.
We have developed a "side by side" walk for bereaved parents which is arranged several times through the year. Alongside the therapeutic benefits of walking, this group offers an opportunity to meet and spend time with others who have experienced the loss of their child, to share their experience and receive support through their grief journey. Knowing they are the not the only one experiencing certain feelings and thoughts can help. The guided walks are facilitated by a Young Lives vs Cancer social worker and a youth support co-ordinator.
We understand that everyone is different, and everyone will experience grief differently. We support and signpost parents, siblings, partners and loved ones to get the support that is right for them.
Campaigning
We carry out and support research into issues that affect children and young people with cancer and their families. This informs our campaigning work.
Did you know:
- Children and young people with cancer and their families face almost £700 each month in additional expenses during their treatment.
- 7 months is the average wait between a young person’s cancer diagnosis and receiving disability benefits.
- 71% of families face a decrease in their income while their child is being treated for cancer
- 1 in 10 young cancer patients and their families reported missing or delaying treatment and care appointments because of the cost of travelling.
We campaign on issues including the need for a Travel Fund, so no young person struggles with the cost of getting to treatment. And we campaign for improved benefits, which can be accessed sooner. We work alongside other charities that support children and young people, to help bring about the system change that is needed.
Claire Cobban (she/her)
Fundraising Engagement Manager (South and West Scotland)