Frontline NHS colleagues to raise thousands for the UK’s leading Youth Cancer Charity

Following a call for applications in January, Young Lives vs Cancer has just been announced as the organisation’s official charity partner for the next three years, allowing the charity to continue running its valuable Homes from Home initiative which offers a free place for families to stay when their child is receiving cancer treatment.

NHS Property Services received 64 applications ranging from food banks to mental and physical health initiatives. Their 4500 strong workforce of cleaners, receptionists, gardeners and maintenance staff cast the majority of the vote, making Young Lives vs Cancer the organisation’s first charity partner selected exclusively by colleagues.

They will now work closely with the charity over the next three years to raise essential funds for their Homes from Home initiative. The Homes from Home are a lifeline for families and can be the difference between being plunged into crisis or being able to stay strong for their child. They are close to principal treatment centres, helping families avoid the extra financial burdens of travel, accommodation and food costs.

They also allow young cancer patients to be close to their loved ones, keeping the family together at a difficult time. Young cancer patients can often experience acute isolation during their treatment, which negatively affects their mental health. Young Lives vs Cancer social care teams will look to run peer-to-peer support group sessions, as well as one-to-one support for families, at convenient spaces in NHS Property Services’ portfolio.

Su Biela, NHS Property Services Facilities Support Assistant from the Midlands, says: “Nobody wants their child to suffer or to be ill – and if they are, you don’t want them to go through it alone. You want to be there for them, and with them. I voted for Young Lives vs Cancer because of the work they do through their Homes from Home scheme. They are just amazing and enable parents to be there for their children when they need them the most.”  

Deborah Prince, NHS Property Services Director of Customer Services and Communication, says that Young Lives vs Cancer is a perfect fit for the organisation. “With 64 exceptional candidates all doing such great work, our frontline colleagues picked a partner that really resonated with them. We’re so excited to be working with the Young Lives vs. Cancer team to make a real difference to the lives of children and their families affected by cancer and we are incredibly proud to be supporting this work.”

Head of High Value Fundraising at Young Lives vs Cancer, Julie Millar said: “We’re so grateful to everyone at NHS Property Services who voted for Young Lives vs Cancer as their new charity partner. Our Homes from Home provide a lifeline for families who face the crushing reality of a childhood cancer diagnosis. This three-year partnership will ensure that our Homes from Home can continue to run both during these challenging times and in the future, keeping young cancer patients and their families safe and supported during treatment.”

Colleagues at NHS Property Services have already kicked off their fundraising efforts to benefit the charity, with marathons and mountain climbs on the cards for 2021. The organisation previously partnered with Carers Trust from 2018 - 2021, with colleagues raising £70,000 through activities like gruelling cycle challenges, a Three Peaks trek, quizzes and cakes sales.  

For further information, interviews or images, please contact Charne Jones on 07854192567 or email Charne.Jones@nhs.property.uk

Many children like five-year-old Emmett from Aylesbury have already benefitted hugely from staying in a Home from Home. Emmett was diagnosed with germ cell cancer in August 2018 and was physically sick a number of times every hour when he first started chemotherapy. Staying in Young Lives vs Cancer’s Home from Home, CLIC Court in Oxford close to John Radcliffe Hospital, was hugely helpful for Emmett and his mum, Amy Scullard, who says, “We were so thankful we were at the Home.”

Another parent supported by Young Lives vs Cancer, who stayed at Billy’s House in Nottingham close to Nottingham University Hospital, describes the real benefits of staying in a Home from Home: “The other parents at the house were in similar situations and we would look out for each other, whether it was a shoulder to cry on, or sharing milk when you couldn’t get to the shop. And our children could play together without worrying about germs and illnesses that people outside of the cancer world don’t always understand.”

With only 19 specialist cancer treatment centres for young people in the UK, many families face frequent and gruelling journeys – on average 60 miles or more – to receive life-saving treatment their child needs. Treatment can last up to three years and families can face extra costs of £600 each month for travelling and food. Young Lives vs Cancer’s Homes from Home provide clean, safe and homely accommodation for families when they most need it, completely free.

For more information about Young Lives vs Cancer, visit younglivesvscancer.org.uk