Overview

• Sarah Ferguson, drawing on her personal experience with breast and skin cancer, is advocating for reforms to address the unique needs of teenage and young adult cancer patients.
• The #AndYoungPeople campaign calls for faster cancer diagnoses, better access to clinical trials, and improved mental health services for young patients, who are often overlooked in health planning.
• Nearly half of young cancer patients see their GPs more than three times before being referred to specialists, according to a 2023 survey, underscoring diagnostic delays.
• A survey by the Teenage Cancer Trust found that 87% of psychologists believe mental health services fail to meet the needs of young cancer patients, highlighting critical gaps in support.
• The campaign, supported by an open letter to Health Secretary Wes Streeting, seeks to influence England's upcoming National Cancer Plan, expected to be published later this year.