Brits share their best teenage memories
Friends, holidays and finishing exams top national poll, as charity says “you only get one chance at being young – don’t let cancer take that away”
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A study of 2,000 adults from across the UK found that when it comes to favourite memories of their teenage years, almost two fifths (38%) said their favourite memory was spending time with friends outside of school, followed by school holidays (32%) and family holidays (31%). Just under a quarter (24%) said it was finishing school/exams, whilst over a fifth (21%) said it was starting their first job.
Being able to legally go to pubs and clubs, learning to drive and first relationships were also among the things that people said they treasured about being young.
The poll was commissioned by Teenage Cancer Trust to highlight the importance of specialist care for teenagers and young adults with cancer who may be missing out on these memorable experiences. Teenage Cancer Trust funds specialist hospital units, nurses and youth workers across the UK, and is the only national charity providing dedicated cancer care for this age group and its unique needs.
Kate Collins, Chief Executive of Teenage Cancer Trust, said: “You only get one chance at being young, and those years can shape the person you become. Friends, mental health, body image, studies, work, relationships and choices about the future are hard enough for young people to navigate before you put cancer in the mix.
“Today, seven young people in the UK aged 13-24 will hear the words ‘you have cancer’ and it’s essential they all have the specialist care and support that Teenage Cancer Trust provides to make sure they don’t face cancer alone. That’s what we provide on a Teenage Cancer Trust ward – unique places that don’t feel like hospital but instead are bright, contemporary spaces designed by young people where they can feel at home, meet others their age, and welcome family and friends while facing treatment. And it’s what it means to be cared for by our expert nurses and youth workers, specially trained to help young people navigate everything cancer can throw at them, supporting not just through treatment but helping young people recover and rebuild their lives.”
Young people supported by Teenage Cancer Trust talk about how the charity has supported them
Freddie, Aaron and Lianne were all supported by Teenage Cancer Trust, and talk about how the charity’s specially-trained staff supported them to have ‘normal’ young person experiences during cancer.
Freddie, age 20 from southeast London, said: “Being a young person going through cancer is a lonely and isolating experience and no matter how much my friends could empathise with me, they could never truly understand what it feels like to go through cancer in your teenage years. The events and activities organised by Teenage Cancer Trust allowed me to make new friends who’ve experienced cancer as well and share our stories, but also be ‘normal’ as well.”
Aaron, age 25 from Richmond said: “Nicola, Teenage Cancer Trust’s Outreach Youth Support Coordinator, invited me on an organised trip to the zoo once my treatment had finished. There was a group of around 20 young people, and it was so nice to meet and chat to them all. The opportunity to chat to other people my age who have been through similar experiences took a weight off my shoulders as I didn’t feel alone in my illness. I had a great day out and really enjoyed the trip.”
Lianne, age 20 from Aberdeen said “I’d left school due to my social anxiety and I was meant to be going to college to do animal care. My anxiety got the better of me, so I pushed it back a year. My diagnosis made me want to do something different. Amanda [my Clinical Nurse Specialist] put me in touch with someone who could help me with my CV and encouraged me to go for a multi-craft apprenticeship. I started it in September and it’s going really well. I’m doing jointing and working on overhead power lines.”
The opportunity to chat to other people my age who have been through similar experiences took a weight off my shoulders
Vicky McClure and Frank Lampard among celebrity supporters who have shared their favourite memories
Teenage Cancer Trust ambassadors Vicky McClure and Frank Lampard also shared their favourite memories from being young as part of a video series on the charity’s social media channels.
Vicky said: “The best thing about being a teenager for me was my friends. Genuinely. We had a massive gang of friends, all from different backgrounds, different hobbies, different interests, different opinions, different looks, different everything, it was just vibrant. And they’re still my friends now. And I just remember needing them a lot, they were just brilliant, they were there and they were good fun, we got up to all kinds of mischief and it was the best part of growing up.”
Frank said: “It’s a period of your life where you’ve got your friendship groups, you’re growing into the world, making relationships – I remember that with a lot of fondness before the stresses of work and professional life becomes too much and changes your perspective. For myself, I was crazy on football I lived my life training, playing football with my friends and all those years – really enjoyable years to look back on.”