What is Childhood Cancer Awareness Month & What it’s All About
- September is Childhood Cancer Awareness Month in the UK. It’s a time dedicated to raising awareness of cancers that affect children and young people (0-25), the challenges families face, and the support that’s needed.
- The campaign is about more than medical treatment: it highlights emotional, mental health, wellbeing, social, educational and family-relationship impacts.
- One of the UK charities leading in this space is Young Lives vs Cancer (also known formerly as CLIC Sargent). Their aim is to make sure that children and young people with cancer—and their families—are supported not only medically but in all parts of life: their wellbeing, education, finances and emotional health. Young Lives vs Cancer
- The campaign encourages people to speak out about the needs of these children, to push for systemic change (so that support is available, accessible, consistent), and to ensure no child or family has to go through cancer alone. Young Lives vs Cancer
How TrustBridge Care Can Support Children & Families Experiencing Childhood Cancer
Since TrustBridge Care is domiciliary care, there are several ways you can make a real difference:
- Emotional & day-to-day support at home
- Providing carers who are trained / sensitised to the particular needs of children and young people with cancer (fatigue, side effects, emotional distress).
- Helping with mobility, personal care, hygiene when treatments leave children weak or recovering.
- Support with wellbeing and mental health
- Being a friendly presence: offering companionship, listening, being a stable support system.
- Facilitating access to counselling or peer support groups.
- Support with practical / logistical needs
- Helping transport to and from appointments, or arranging schedules.
- Assisting with tasks at home that become harder during treatment (meal prep, cleaning, medication management).
- Supporting families, not just the child
- Recognising the impact on siblings, parents: offering respite, helping with daily routines so carers have breaks.
- Offering flexible care to accommodate school, hospital, clinic schedules.
- Advocacy
- By being aware yourself, and helping families to access the services they need, including financial support.
- Partnering with charities like Young Lives vs Cancer to understand what systemic improvements are needed.
Why Awareness Matters & What People Can Do to Raise It
Why awareness is vital:
- Many of the challenges children with cancer face are invisible: isolation, educational disruption, mental health struggles. Without awareness, these don’t get addressed.
- Awareness can drive funding (for charities, for research, for support services) and also influence policy (healthcare, schooling, social care).
- Awareness helps reduce stigma, makes it more likely that people reach out, support is offered, and the voices of families are heard.
How individuals / communities can raise awareness:
- Share stories: With permission, share real stories (from charities or families) on social media, community newsletters, or your organisation’s own channels to highlight what it’s like.
- Participate in or organise events: For example, Young Lives vs Cancer suggest taking on a challenge (like “Walk 80 Miles in September”) or fundraising events. Young Lives vs Cancer
- Volunteering: Giving time, skills, or resources to support charities working in this area. Young Lives vs Cancer
- Fundraising / donations: Money helps charities provide grants, support wellbeing, services, resources. Young Lives vs Cancer
- Advocacy & policy engagement: Write to local representatives or MPs to ask for better supports (emotional health services, financial relief, school accommodations). Young Lives vs Cancer make this easy during the awareness month. Young Lives vs Cancer
How to Get Involved with Young Lives vs Cancer & Their “Movement”
From what the charity’s doing (per their website), here are ways people can get involved:
- Challenge events: e.g. “Walk 80 Miles in September” to raise funds & awareness. Young Lives vs Cancer
- Volunteering: Helping with events, providing skills, supporting the charity’s operations. Young Lives vs Cancer
- Hair fundraising: Shave, cut, dye your hair to raise money and awareness. Young Lives vs Cancer
- Donations: Regular or one-off gifts help them deliver their support services. Young Lives vs Cancer
- Campaigning / contacting representatives: They provide tools so people can email their MP or representative, urging them to improve policy around children’s cancer care. Young Lives vs Cancer