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Shine Cancer Support is the only UK charity focused on supporting adults in their 20’s, 30’s, and 40’s who have received a cancer diagnosis – any type of cancer, at any stage. Shine offers tailored support to young adults focussed on the challenges that their diagnosis brings before, during, and after treatment.Ìý

Shine became a registered charity in 2012, based on the needs of its founders who were diagnosed with cancer in their 20’s and 30’s. Cancer at this age can affect all aspects of life, from work and finances to fertility, dating, and mental health. Now operating across the UK, Shine aims to bridge gaps in traditional cancer support, typically targeted at the very young or much older, and offers young adults the guidance and community they need to face cancer’s impact on their life stage.Ìý

Approximately 210,000 adults in their 20’s, 30’s, and 40’s are currently living with or beyond cancer in the UK. Shine wants to support each of them via life-changing programmes and activities, while also training healthcare providers to better understand the issues they face. With your support, Shine will ensure that no young adult in the UK faces cancer alone.Ìý

It’s a pleasure to support Shine Cancer Support’s ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ Lifeline appeal and use my platform to showcase the important work of this charity.Ìý

Within the last 30 years, the rate of cancer in people under the age of 50 has increased by 24% in the UK. As these numbers continue to grow, young adults living with cancer need our support more than ever to keep their lives on track and ensure that they can find their way through the devastating impact of cancer.Ìý

Shine Cancer Support is a small charity so every single penny raised through their appeal will enable them to grow and develop their services which provide practical and emotional advice on topics that matter most to people aged 20 to 49.Ìý

With your help, we can make sure that no young adult in the UK faces cancer alone. Thank you so much for your generosity.

Charlotte lives in Oxford and is 34 years old. Two years ago at the age of just 32 Charlotte was diagnosed with a very rare form of peritoneal cancer originating in the appendix. Charlotte's diagnosis was followed by extensive surgery which removed eight of her organs including her gallbladder, spleen, ovaries and uterus, and combined with HIPEC (heated intraperitoneal chemotherapy). Her surgery put her directly into menopause and left her unable to have biological children in the future.Ìý

Charlotte heard about Shine, joining a six-week online programme as well as many meet-ups in London and Oxford. Through these, Charlotte met people who could understand her challenges and fears, helping her feel less alone. Unable to work full-time, since her treatment Charlotte has been working part-time teaching art while also doing freelance illustration. She has also contributed to Shine's annual conference by running an art therapy workshop for other young adults.Ìý

Rena lives with her partner and young daughter in the West Midlands. In 2023, having attending her GP surgery for an unrelated matter, she mentioned that she had some swelling under her arm. Shortly afterwards, she was diagnosed with triple negative breast cancer which was followed by chemotherapy, surgery, radiotherapy and immunotherapy.

Following her diagnosis, Rena was encouraged to get in touch with Shine by her sister, so that she could meet others who understood what she was going through. Shine has supported Rena from the earliest days of her treatment, putting in her in touch with other young people and helping her navigate life after diagnosis. She volunteers with Shine in the West Midlands, running regular events to reduce the isolation that so many younger adults experience.Ìý

Will is a 33-year old Londoner who found Shine in 2019. He was diagnosed with a high grade brain tumour aged just 25, while he was finishing a Master's degree in Strategy. Will has been a part of the team running Shine's London Network for nearly two years.

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Will has found that the support offered by Shine offers a priceless invaluable path towards reclaiming so much of what cancer robs from patients in this age range. Everything from from dating and starting a family to social lives, careers and lifestyle can be upended, and Shine offers the chance for patients toÌýnot onlyÌýshareÌýgame-changing advice and experience to navigate these issues, but also to be part of a genuine, supportive community in which no one is isolated or left behind because of their illness, everyone understands one another and gets to feel that they still matter.