Our Ambassadors and Celebrity Supporters

We’re incredibly lucky at Young Lives vs Cancer to have lots of high profile celebrity support for our work and campaigns, helping to raise our profile and increase awareness of the issues facing children and young people with cancer.

Phil Dunster is stood outside Paul's House, Young Lives vs Cancer's Home from Home. He is smiling and holding up a Young Lives vs Cancer t-shirt.

Phil Dunster marathon and Paul’s House visit

In April, Ted Lasso star, Phil Dunster, swapped out his AFC Richmond kit for a Young Lives vs Cancer running vest as he took on the TCS London Marathon. He raised over £15,000 and he’s not stopping there!

Phil continues to be an important member of Team Young Lives and is currently working on putting together an event in aid of our amazing charity.

Phil Dunster running the London Marathon for Young Lives vs Cancer

Holly Willoughby T-Shirt with support from Ore Oduba, Clodagh McKenna Herbert, Jake Humphrey, Ryan Peniston, Alison Hammond, Nicole Appleton and Millie Mackintosh.

September is Childhood Cancer Awareness Month and TV presenter, Holly Willoughby, marked the occasion in 2023 by releasing a t-shirt with Young Lives vs Cancer. Many of Holly’s celebrity friends leant their support to the campaign by donning the t-shirts and they were sure to #ShareTheLove on social media.

Holly Willoughby wearing the T-Shirt she designed

Tennis- A- Thon with Ryan Peniston

To celebrate Wimbledon 2024, we launched our brand-new Young Lives vs Cancer Tennis-a-thon with tennis star and young cancer survivor, Ryan Peniston.

We’re thrilled with all the fundraising from tennis clubs, tennis pros and people who are picking up a tennis racket for the first time.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Young Lives vs Cancer (@younglivesvscancer)

“I’m so excited to support Young Lives vs Cancer’s Tennis-a-thon this summer. Not only is it a great chance to get people up and down the UK playing tennis, but it will also help raise vital funds for this incredible charity”.

Ryan Peniston, Young Lives vs Cancer sporting ambassador

Travel Costs Video with Ore Oduba, Ryan Peniston, Jamie Raven, Demi Jones

Many of our amazing celebrity supporters such as Ore Oduba, Ryan Peniston and Demi Jones got involved with our Travel Costs campaign in June 2023. They all shared a powerful video on Instagram, calling on the public to sign our petition for a government-funded Young Cancer Patient Travel Fund, to help cover the cost of travelling to treatment for all young cancer patients.

The petition garnered over 12,000 signatures (and counting!).

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Young Lives vs Cancer (@younglivesvscancer)

Gaby Roslin and Mirror Campaign Christmas

Gaby Roslin at Pauls House

In December 2023, Young Lives vs Cancer were the chosen charity for the Daily Mirror and Sunday Mirror’s Christmas fundraising appeal. TV & Radio personality Gaby Roslin was interviewed at Paul’s House in London for the appeal, where she was able to meet the team and a family staying there. The appeal raised some great funds, and raised awareness of Young Lives vs Cancer through the voices of young people and families who were able to share their experiences.

Jules Von Hep T-Shirt

For World Cancer Day 2021 & 2022, owner of the incredible Isle of Paradise tanning range, Jules Von Hep, designed some stunning limited-edition T-shirts. The t-shirts were quickly snapped up by supporters, and all of the profits were donated to Young Lives vs Cancer. Jules said:

“Whenever I speak to young people on their cancer journey what amazes me is their mental strength, their openness about their emotions and their willingness to say yes to new experiences. I always learn something new whenever I have these encounters”.

Christine Lampard chat with Mums

In 2020, TV presenter & Young Lives vs Cancer ambassador, Christine Lampard joined a video call with 4 mums who were all being supported by the charity. During the call, Christine spoke with the mums about their experiences of what it’s been like for them during their child’s cancer treatment. This honest and emotive call was recorded, with clips of the video shared to Christine’s social media, now viewed over 118,000 times.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Christine Lampard (@christinelampard)

Ore Black History Month

Our phenomenal ambassador Ore Oduba heard from young black cancer patients during Black History Month 2021. Ore sat down with Enkay, Yvonne, Tawanda and Crystal to speak about their experiences of cancer. Enkay told Ore how being able to meet other Black cancer patients, through events organised by the charity, helped him feel less isolated. Of the event, Ore said:

“It was the most incredible conversation, and it really gave me a brand-new understanding. It really opened my eyes up to some of the challenges that young people going through cancer face on a daily basis”

Events and celebrities:

A Very British Affair (2019, 2021, 2022): Over the years, Young Lives vs Cancer has hosted an annual fundraising gala, ‘A Very British Affair’. In 2022, the gala was hosted by TV personality Jake Humphery, along with Rian Harvey, who was supported by the charity when he was diagnosed with leukaemia aged 14. The gala was co-chaired by Harriet Humphrey and Young Lives vs Cancer’s Vice President, Lucy Butcher. The 2022 gala was a night full of entertainment, and raised a grand total of £255,000. Collectively, the galas have raised just over £955,000.

Sunningdale Golf Events

Sunningdale Golf Events: In September 2022, we held our 25th Young Lives vs Cancer Sunningdale Golf Day. Returning again to the prestigious Old Course at Sunningdale, the charity hosted a unique event – an opportunity for golf teams to play a round with a surprise celebrity player. Among the players were journalist & presenter Chris Hollins, former Strictly Come Dancing professional James Jordan, and record-breaker and Olympic medallist Kriss Akabusi.