Our charity for the Bournemouth Summer Live events this year is the Youth Cancer Trust. YCT provides free activity holidays for teenagers and young adults (aged 14 to 30) with cancer from the UK and Ireland. This year 250 youngsters will at Tracy Ann House in Bournemouth enjoying time with others of a similar age who understand what it's like to have cancer. Cancer can tear your world apart and at an age where everyone else seems to be moving on with their lives, university, relationships, careers – the diagnosis of cancer can bring all of that to a halt. The Youth Cancer Trust helps reduce the sense of loneliness, which often accompanies long stays in hospital and time off school. Long term friendships are formed. Families are given a much deserved break knowing their child is having fun and being looked after. The activities provided on a holiday range from horse riding, water sports and dry slope skiing. The emphasis is on fun and relaxation. However, The Youth Cancer Trust is running out of room and has launched an appeal to raise £1.5m to purchase a new property, with more accommodation and improved in-house amenities.
We don’t ever want to turn a young cancer patient away - please can you help?