Life was turned upside down for us and Samuel’s two brothers when we were told he had a brain tumour. The tumour was removed in a long operation, but a few days later, we were given the devastating news that it was cancer. Soon after, we found out that it had spread and that there was another spot of disease elsewhere in his brain, making his condition high-risk of relapse after treatment, rather than the standard risk we were originally told.
Aashna first showed signs of cancer when she started limping as she walked down the stairs at school. For an active and healthy child, it seemed okay. But what followed was a month of progressive loss of mobility, day by day. She began crying at school, taking naps after coming home, and complaining of bone pains even while standing. We dismissed her symptoms as tiredness and growing pains, too busy and hopeful that she’d get better.
Philippa was just two years old when she was diagnosed with Langerhans cell histiocytosis (LCH), a cancer-like disease. Her mum, Claire, shares her story.
Scarlett-Anne was diagnosed with nephroblastoma, also known as Wilms tumour, at the age of four. Her mother, Abby, shares her story.
Mason was diagnosed with a brain tumour in February 2024 when he was seven years old.
Niamh was six years old when she was diagnosed with leukaemia in 2020. Her mum, Victoria, shares her story.
Yami Moloteni was diagnosed with Hodgkin lymphoma in July 2021, when aged 18. She tells us about her cancer diagnosis and treatment and its impact on her, and offers advice to both professionals and other young cancer patients to help empower young people around healthcare.
Richard Storry was diagnosed with Hodgkin lymphoma in November 2010, aged 17. Here he talks about how this impacted him, some of the specific challenges a TYA cancer patient faces and offers advice to others.
Dr Morven Brown is a health psychologist and childhood cancer researcher at Newcastle University. Here, she tells us about being diagnosed with cancer as a 23-year-old, and how her own experiences have influenced her work and interests.
