What is our Children and Young People’s Cancer Plan all about?

The Plan covers areas that matter to children and young people with cancer, which would improve their experiences of their treatment and care, and deliver better outcomes. But what is actually included in our Plan, and why?  

Lauren Marks, Policy and Public Affairs Manager is here to explain!

Timely diagnosis  

We know it can often take multiple trips to the doctor before children and young people are diagnosed with cancer. But the sooner you’re diagnosed, the sooner you can get the treatment you need, and earlier and faster diagnosis can result in better outcomes.  

Our Plan sets out ways we can make sure children and young people get their diagnosis quickly and at the right time. These include having the right pathways in place for referrals, and health and care professionals being educated and aware of cancer in children and young people.  

World-class treatment 

We want all children and young people with cancer to get the best possible treatment. But we also want those treatments to be as kind as possible, and tailored to children and young people’s cancers. 

Through the actions in our Plan, like giving rapid access to new drugs, treatments and genomic testing, finding new treatments for cancers that don’t respond to current treatments, and making treatments less toxic, we can give children and young people the best possible chances of getting through treatment successfully.  

Patient experience 

The best way to improve cancer services and care for children and young people is by listening to them and their families, and acting on their feedback – they’re the experts in their experience.  

We’re asking for the views of children, young people and their families to be captured, through specific surveys targeted at their age groups, so they can be understood and acted on. Our Plan also includes making sure there are enough health and care professionals with the right expertise so children and young people experience the best quality care.  

World-class research  

Research into cancer in children and young people, its treatment and the impact it has, means we keep learning more, can develop new and more successful treatments, and keep improving the care and support available.  

This is why having world-class research is part of our Plan, by making sure that children and young people can be involved in clinical trials, that research is done in the areas that are most important for children and young people with cancer, and we have more data available to support research.  

Financial, emotional, and practical support 

We know that cancer has huge impacts on children, young people and their families beyond their clinical care – it can impact your finances, disrupt your education and employment, and can take a toll on your mental health.  

A whole section of our Plan is dedicated to supporting all these different needs, by funding travel to specialist treatment, having mental health support throughout the treatment pathway for children and young people but also their families as well, and support so that progress in education and employment isn’t negatively affected. 

Survivorship After Cancer Treatment

Once treatment ends, the impacts of having cancer don’t stop. Children and young people need long-term support so they can thrive, and know exactly where to go if they need support.  

Our Plan sets out a range of things that would do this, like having a single point of access for long-term follow-up care and making sure support for mental health and other needs is available as well. 

If the UK government commit to delivering our Plan, these six areas would help improve the experiences and outcomes of children and young people with cancer. To make this a reality, we need to meet with those who have the power to implement this Plan.  

Will you join us and email your representative in parliament using our simple form so that we can talk to them about the unique needs of children and young people with cancer?