Every day, seven young people aged 13-24 hear the words "you have cancer". By 2030 that number will be closer to 10.

In October 2022 myself and a group of friends ran the Bath Half Marathon in aid of the Teenage Cancer Trust, the charity who helped to support and care for my friend, Lily.

Lily was diagnosed with Philadelphia + Acute Lymphoblastic Leukaemia in September 2019. She was immediately transferred to Southampton Hospital’s Teenage Cancer Trust Unit just days after her diagnosis and spent 6+ months there, as an inpatient receiving intense chemotherapy before undergoing a life saving bone marrow transplant.

The Teenage Cancer Trust ward provided a save haven for Lily and her family whilst she went through treatment. The ward in Southampton is designed for 16-24 year olds and has six inpatient bedrooms and day care facilities, including a social room with a large kitchen and dining area for families to eat together and spend time doing ‘normal’ activities whilst still being cared for.

All of the bedrooms are equipped with cosy soft furnishings, kitchenettes, en-suite bathrooms, desks, sofa areas, TVs and gaming facilities. They also have an extra bed so loved ones can always stay, something that massively helped Lily so she knew she was never on her own.

Asides from the calming, homely environment they provide, the Teenage Cancer Trust also fund seven expert staff in partnership with University Hospitals Southampton NHS Trust, which includes a Lead Nurse, Clinical Nurse Specialists, Advanced Nurse Practitioners and Youth Support Coordinators.

Without the Teenage Cancer Trust, Lily’s experience would have been very different. She speaks so highly about the care she received and what a warming, happy place the ward she was treated on is.

That’s why I’ve chosen to run the London Marathon for The Teenage Cancer Trust, to raise more money to help fund more specialised nurses, youth workers and hospital units within the NHS, so more young people have dedicated staff and facilities to support them through cancer treatment.