Young people and cancer stories

Story
Published: 15 February 2024
On this page, some of Macmillan's young storytellers discuss their experiences of life after a cancer diagnosis. 

Your feelings

If you're affected by cancer, you might have many different emotions. There's no right or wrong way to feel. Everyone reacts differently.

Amrik, a young person diagnosed with cancer, sits on the kitchen counter in his home

Amrik

"I’d just turned 18. All of a sudden I was being rushed from hospital room to hospital room. I had quite a lot of anger. And I was in disbelief as well. I couldn’t quite come to terms with the fact that I was faced with six months of chemotherapy."

Faye

"I got really bad anxiety and had terrible panic attacks. I got a counsellor through Macmillan, who really, really helped me." 

Get support

The Teenager Cancer Trust has advice and resources about emotions and mental health for young people with cancer.

Friends and relationships

Talking about cancer can be hard. You might feel like your relationships have changed after a diagnosis. But keeping friends and family close is important.

Three young people walking together along the pavement

Amrik

"My parents being around every day was important. And my friends were great at keeping me positive. The best thing was when my friend surprised me by coming back from uni for a visit. He didn’t have to say much; it was just him talking about normal stuff that kept me going."

Shelbee

"I'm still the same person, cancer hasn't changed who I am."

- Shelbee and her friend Jess share their experiences after Shelbee was diagnosed with bone cancer. 

Watch on Youtube

More information

Finding help and support

If you're affected by cancer, you don't have to go through it alone. 

Shell
"Being so young whilst having cancer, sometimes I convince myself I don’t need help, but [Macmillan] have shown me that support is available for any age and you shouldn’t be afraid to reach out and admit you can’t do it all yourself sometimes. It has allowed me to focus more on getting better and my own health, rather than worrying about everything else I need to sort out in my general life."
Kimberley, a young person diagnosed with cancer, sitting in a restaurant and smiling
Kimberley
"Throughout that whole time of surgery, my Macmillan Nurse, Lisa, was in contact with me. It was so many phone calls, questions, concerns. I repeated all my questions, and I think Lisa repeated all her answers! It was everything I knew but it was that reassurance I needed. Sometimes I was crying and upset and she didn’t need to say anything, she just listened – and that’s all that was needed."
Megan
"My Macmillan nurse Julie explained that it was totally normal to feel how I was. She’s one of a kind. Any time I was feeling low, she’d always find a way to cheer me up and make me feel better about myself. Like when I started losing my hair and she put me in touch with a wig specialist and different hair and beauty courses."
Sarah

"I used the community to vent my worries to others who’d been in my situation. People were so kind on there."

More information

If you're a young person affected by cancer, there is specialist support available.
Visit our Young People and Teenagers page to learn more about the different ways Macmillan and other organisations can help. 

Side effects

If you're going through treatment for cancer, this might affect you in different ways. 

In this video, Ruth talks about her experience of fatigue:

Lillie's story

Lillie shares how she coped with the emotional and physical effects of treatment.

Watch on YouTube

Making plans

A cancer diagnosis can change your future plans. You might decide to postpone certain things while you undergo treatment. Or you might decide to continue working or studying as a way to help you cope. 

"I now work here in Queen's Hospital, a place where I was treated - at a place where, at one time, I didn't like to come at all."

- Tom

 

Watch the full video on YouTube

"I felt completely distraught at the news. And it meant that I would no longer be able to study abroad. However, I knew that my health was the most important thing, so I stayed home to receive treatment."

- Shell

More information

Information and support

Macmillan is here to support you. You can:

A woman looking at her mobile phone

Chat to us

Call the Macmillan Support Line free on 0808 808 00 00
A young couple are sitting on the edge of a boat. They are smiling at the camera.

Read our information for teenagers and young adults 

Visit our Young People and Teenagers page for more information on all the ways you can get the help and support you need.

How we can help

Call us on 0808 808 00 00
8am to 8pm. It's free to call from landlines and mobiles within the UK.
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Every day 8am - 8pm.
Online Community

Chat online anonymously to others who understand what you are going through. Our community is available 24/7 and has dedicated forums where you can get advice and ask our experts.
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What's going on near you? Find out about support groups, where to get information and how to get involved with Macmillan where you live.
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