Teens Unite Fighting Cancer brings together teenagers and young adults living with cancer and its lasting effects. Its CEO, Roxanne Lawrance, explains how surrounding yourself with others in a similar situation can often be helpful during cancer and in the years that follow, and how Teens Unite helps young people do this.
Cancer presents a specific set of challenges to teenagers and young adults. It affects their mental and physical health, education and employment, as well as their friendships and relationships, all of which are significant to their key developmental years. Many of them find cancer a lonely and isolating experience. It’s a time when the support of those around you is needed more than ever, but there’s also a likelihood of friendships and relationships breaking down.
Studies show that a huge number of young people report they’ve lost contact with their friends since being diagnosed with cancer. But why is this the case? And how do you rebuild your life without this support network around you? Following a cancer diagnosis, many young people will experience loneliness and as a result can become segregated from society and can feel abandoned by their friends following a diagnosis. Either when their friends don’t know the right words to say, or they don’t say anything at all and take a step back to avoid the situation. Or, the promise of support upon diagnosis is short lived, as there’s a lack of understanding or appreciation of how cancer continues to impact their life even long after treatment comes to an end.
Reaching remission is often where the strain in relationships is most common. There’s an unfair expectation that life simply returns to the way it was before, yet the mental and physical health implications of cancer last for years to come, and continue to affect daily life. To others, all may appear well, but deep down the young person may be experiencing side effects ranging from anxiety and depression, to fatigue and low selfesteem, which can be a barrier for socialising with others, and embracing new opportunities. It can be a struggle to keep the same pace as friends, join in the same activities, or simply act like everything is fine, when their life has become a battle of emotions, uncertainty, and decision making ahead of their years.
The world around them carries on turning, while their own life is put on hold. Often teenagers and young adults with, or who have had, cancer find themselves standing at the sidelines, watching their friends reaching the milestones they’ve been dreaming of, enjoying new experiences and embarking on the next exciting chapters in their life – whether it’s passing exams, starting university, trips away, or moving out. And, with the added pressures of social media, it becomes harder to avoid the constant reminder of everything cancer is depriving them of.
How we help
Teens Unite ensures that young people aged 13-24 don’t have to face cancer and the long-term effects alone and are provided with opportunities to thrive in life. The teenagers and young adults we’ve supported over the past 17 years have informed our understanding of why a breakdown in friendships and relationships happens too often, and why improving social connections is a vital part of their overall recovery and wellbeing.
It’s important for teenagers and young adults to have a support network around them who really understand what it means to face cancer and the lasting effects at this age. We bring together young people with a shared experience of cancer. Through activities and residential stays, they find friendship, learn new skills, regain their independence, rebuild their confidence and enjoy new experiences.
While cancer isn’t usually the topic of conversation or the focus of the activities, there’s a common understanding of the experiences they’ve been through, and the hurdles they continue to overcome. As their friendships develop, they face these hurdles together without any judgement, awkward silences, guilt, or endless questions.
Being part of Teens Unite and spending time with others their age who understand improves their mental, emotional and social wellbeing. It provides them with the reassurance they’re not alone, the confidence to embrace new challenges, and the encouragement to reach their potential. As a result of our support, 100% of those we’ve helped say they feel better connected and less lonely, and 91% feel their mental health has improved.
Keryn’s story
Keryn, who was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukaemia aged 18, tells us about the support she received from Teens Unite.
I found out about my diagnosis two weeks after my 18th birthday. It was a complete shock. I didn’t tell any of my friends for a while. I didn’t want them to feel like they had to feel bad for me or check up on me every day. To be honest, I didn’t want them to worry about me.
Since signing up to Teens Unite, I’ve felt more confident and accepting of my diagnosis because I now know I’m not alone with what I’ve been through. I knew that I needed a place where I could escape for a while and just be around people that understand me when I say I’m tired and feel drowsy. Teens Unite has given that to me!
They always say that after a few years your body starts to get back to normal. That is wrong. I’ve been cancer free for nearly three years and I still get aches and pains and constant bruising on my arms and legs. I still feel out of breath, tired and fatigued, but I have a great support system around me who understand and help if I ever need anything.
Through Teens Unite, I’ve met some incredibly inspiring people that I will connect with for ever. It’s a bond that can never be taken away.
At Teens Unite, it’s our mission to improve the lives of teenagers and young adults living with cancer, such as Keryn. Our support is free of charge, and accessible to anyone aged 13-24, no matter how long it’s been since their diagnosis.
Registering with Teens Unite is free, quick and easy to do. Just visit www.teensunite.org/teens-sign-up or for further information, visit www.teensunite.org or email info@teensunite.org
From Contact magazine issue 104 | Autumn 2024
