A bit about us

Young Lives vs Cancer is the UK’s leading cancer charity providing children, young people (under 25) and their families with the emotional, financial and practical support they so vitally need during their darkest days.

We support over 7000 children and young people each year and their families, and our mission is to help them find the strength to face whatever cancer throws at them.

We know that every young cancer patient and family is different, so we work hard to make sure each family has what they need to get through cancer. 

Today 12 children and young people will hear the devastating news that they have cancer. When a child is diagnosed, it threatens everything, for them and their family. When they should be busy being children, enjoying their rollercoaster teenage years or finding their feet at university, life becomes full of fear.

Fear of treatment, but also of families being torn apart, lengthy journeys to specialist hospitals, of overwhelming money worries, mental health stretched to breaking point, of having nowhere to turn, no one to talk to. From the moment the doctor says, ‘it’s cancer’, Young Lives vs Cancer step in. 

How we'll spend the money you raise

Funds raised through our partnership will directly benefit children, young people and families affected by childhood cancer. Our dedicated care support teams, stationed in every children's cancer hospital across the UK, provide essential face-to-face emotional and practical support from diagnosis onward. For families living far from specialist hospitals, our social care teams will arrange free accommodation at our 10 Homes from Home, near children’s hospitals.

From helping them to emotionally prepare for treatment, to providing specialist bereavement support to parents and siblings when a child sadly dies; our specialist teams are there for families every step of the way.