Cancer Support Services for Young People | Teenage & Young Adult Cancer Awareness Month

30 April 2026 — lia-rogers

Every April, several charities come together for Teenage and Young Adult Cancer Awareness Month (#TYACAM), aiming to highlight the specific needs and support available for those diagnosed with cancer between 13-24.

Why is it important?

Yesterday, the BBC published an article highlighting an increase in 11 types of cancer being diagnosed in young people. The study, published in the BMJ Oncology journal  found that bowel, thyroid, multiple myeloma, liver, kidney, gallbladder, pancreatic, womb lining (or endometrial), mouth, breast and ovarian cancers were increasing in people from their late teens to 40s, with bowel and breast cancers increasing exclusively in these age groups and not others. The reasons for this are still unclear – the only pattern currently observed is growing obesity over the last several decades. This is unlikely to be the whole story. Because many cancers – like bowel cancer – tend to be associated with older adults, late diagnosis is more likely in young people and can lead to devastating outcomes, like in the case of 23 year old Bradley, whose story the BBC’s article reports on.

Raising awareness of teenage and young adult cancer helps to drive individual action, research and funding, as well as improving support for those who are diagnosed with cancer early in their adult lives.

Without tailored support, teens and young adults diagnosed with cancer would find themselves treated as children or older adults, when their needs through these formative years are distinct. 

Although the cancers themselves remain the same, the reasons they start and how they are treated can be very different through adolescence – you can read more about this on the Cancer Research UK website. 

From education and relationships, to body image and mental health, #TYACAM is an opportunity for charities and the young people they support to come together and highlight the unique set of challenges they face.

To find support, type your postcode into the Cancer Care Map homepage. Here are a few examples of what you’ll find:

Teenage Cancer Trust – Support service for teenagers and young adults living with cancer. It offers 28 specialist units within NHS hospitals for people 13 to 24 years old, with treatment by teenage cancer experts in a place designed just for them. It also provides online advice on topics such as mental health, nutrition, exercise, staying creative and keeping busy, signposting to local events and services and annual Royal Albert Hall concerts.

Teens Unite – Charity supporting teenagers and young people, aged 13 to 24, living with and beyond cancer. It offers free, regular events and activities online and in person, as well as residential stays. 

The Wave Project – Charity for young people up to the age of 21, offering free emotional and mental health support through the activity of surfing. Its surf therapy programmes are held over a six week period and give one to one support to the young person.

Youth Cancer Trust – Charity for young adults aged 18 to 30 living with and beyond cancer. It offers free therapeutic wellbeing holidays in Dorset and online support.

Shine Networks – Support network for young adults in their 20s, 30s, and 40s living with cancer. They offer both online and in-person support through local networks, a private Facebook group, national events, and workshops. Their website also features videos, blogs, personal stories, and a podcast, providing information, advice, and support.

Trekstock – Charity providing support to young adults in their 20s and 30s to get moving again physically, socially and psychologically after a cancer diagnosis. Support includes the RENEW Exercise programme, a Navigating Menopause course, and the Lifting the Lid series, which explores topics such as sex, mental health and friendships.