Charity Tandem Skydive with Teenage Cancer Trust

Every day 6 teenagers hear the words “you have cancer”. 6 will hear it tomorrow and 6 the day after. If you’re a teenager and unlucky enough to be diagnosed with cancer, chances are you’ll receive treatment on a ward with very young children or elderly patients. TCT funds specialist teenage units in NHS hospitals, providing an environment where teenagers can get on with being teenagers, an environment expected to improve survival rates and ensure a better future for patients and their families. TCT has 9 units; we need another 14 to reach every single young person with cancer in the UK.

TCT units are dedicated areas for teenage patients who are involved in their concept and design. As well as state-of-the-art facilities to keep patients occupied during long stays in hospital, the units provide an environment where teenagers can meet others in a similar situation. They allow patients to build friendships and mechanisms to cope with their disease without being patronised or ignored. Units also house facilities for parents and family members to stay overnight and are staffed with professionals able to fully understand and manage the needs of the patients.

Building the units costs upwards of £2 million each. TCT’s target is to have enough units across the UK to ensure every young person has access to one.

Teenage Cancer Trust focuses on the particular needs of teenagers and young adults with cancer, leukaemia, Hodgkin’s and related diseases by creating specialist teenage units in NHS hospitals.