Our strategic aims to 2029
Find out more about our vision and strategic aims as we progress towards our 2040 goal.
You are viewing: Our vision
Our vision
A world where cancer doesn’t stop young people from living their lives.
Our big goal
By 2040, young people with cancer in the UK will have the best outcomes and quality of life in the world.
Our strategic aims to 2029
We have three strategic aims to 2029. These will help us focus on the things that matter most to young people and make the most progress towards our 2040 goal.
Achieving the 2040 goal is possible – but not on our own. By working with others – the NHS, charities, the government, and most of all, young people – we will achieve the best progress for young people with cancer.
Our first two strategic aims describe where we will focus to best support young people.
1. Clinical care
Drive quality clinical care for young people with cancer
We know what quality clinical care for young people with cancer looks like. We know this by learning from and working with young people with cancer ever since the first Teenage Cancer Trust ward opened in 1990.
Young people need care that’s personalised, young person centred, offers access to clinical trials, and provides psychological support. They need information that works for them – when and how they need it – options for fertility preservation, and to be able to make decisions about their care and their future. And they need care in a place that works for them, and supports them to be young people first, cancer patients second.
We’ll work tirelessly to protect specialist teenage and young adult cancer care and advocate to make sure young people’s unique needs are met. We’ll work closely with the NHS to ensure specialist roles and spaces exist to meet young people’s needs. And we’ll provide expert training and development for the next generation of professionals supporting young people with cancer.
Sam, my Teenage Cancer Trust nurse, understood that we needed different support than people older or younger than us. He held my hand when I cried and when I was scared, he talked me through every process in a way I could understand. It was the loneliest time of my life and having him there made it easier.
I was bullied growing up and I always felt different and unaccepted. Going through cancer and being accepted by people on the Teenage Cancer Trust unit made me feel more comfortable to tell people that I am gay.
3. Transformation
Transform how we work
Teenage Cancer Trust has been here for young people since 1990, beginning with one specialist ward and growing to a network of spaces, specialist staff and a menu of information and support to make sure no young person faces cancer alone.
Cancer rates in young people are going up, and demand for our services is rising. On the back of Covid and a cost-of-living crisis, meeting this demand becomes ever more difficult – but we’re absolutely determined to continue being there for everyone who needs us.
This is why our third goal is about making sure we develop and innovate as an organisation, so we can continue to be there for young people in the long term.
Collaboration and partnership working is the only way we are going to achieve our bold and ambitious North Star vision to transform the future for young people with cancer.