Reducing Isolation & Building Lifelong Friendships

Over the past quarter, Teens Unite has continued delivering Be Connected – our annual programme of events and activities designed to reduce isolation and strengthen emotional wellbeing for young people aged 13–24 living with and beyond cancer.

A cancer diagnosis during the teenage and young adult years can be deeply isolating. Many young people experience long periods away from school, college, work and friendship groups, and often feel misunderstood by peers who cannot relate to what they have been through. For thousands, the emotional impact of cancer continues long after treatment ends.

Be Connected exists to ensure that no young person has to face that loneliness alone.

Why this matters more than ever

Since Teens Unite was founded, over 45,000 teenagers and young adults in the UK have been diagnosed with cancer, and a further 2,500 young people face a diagnosis every year. At a time when friendships, identity and independence are still developing, cancer can leave young people feeling left behind, disconnected, and anxious about their future.

Our programme provides safe, welcoming spaces where young people can connect with others who truly understand – building friendships, confidence and hope.

Progress this quarter

Although we have not yet received donations through this GlobalGiving project, our delivery has continued thanks to support from our wider fundraising efforts and partner community. This quarter, we have been focused on:

• Planning and coordinating upcoming Be Connected events for 2026
• Strengthening our young person-led approach, ensuring our programme is shaped by lived experience
• Expanding opportunities for young people to connect through both in-person and online engagement
• Continuing to provide safe spaces where young people can talk openly about life during and after cancer

These connections are life-changing. Many young people tell us it is the first time they have felt truly understood since diagnosis.

The impact we are working towards

Our evidence-led approach continues to show the importance of this work. Young people engaging with Teens Unite report:

• 100% feel more connected and less lonely
• 90% gain confidence and a positive outlook
• 91% feel their mental health improves
• 88% feel anxiety is reduced
• 84% report stronger physical health and wellbeing

These outcomes not only improve quality of life, but reduce reliance on overstretched services that are often difficult for young people to access.

How you can help

With your support through GlobalGiving, we can ensure even more young people have access to this community and life-changing peer connection.

Every donation helps us deliver safe, supportive events where young people can rebuild confidence, form lifelong friendships, and feel hopeful about the future again.

Thank you for taking the time to read about Be Connected. Your support can help ensure no young person faces cancer alone.

Thanks to your incredible support, we’ve been able to bring friendship, laughter, and connection to young people rebuilding their lives after cancer – and we’re delighted to share some of the highlights with you.

Over the past three months, our Be Connected programme has continued to unite young people living with and beyond cancer, giving them the chance to socialise, express themselves, and remember what it feels like to simply have fun together.

From the comfort of their own homes, young people joined our digital gaming nights, competing, cheering one another on, and chatting freely with others who understand what it’s like to navigate life after treatment. We also hosted pizza-making sessions, where the focus was less on perfect dough and more on shared laughter and conversation. And during our sip and paint evening, everyone unleashed their creativity while enjoying the relaxed, welcoming atmosphere that makes these sessions so special.

These moments may seem small, but for the young people taking part, they mean everything. They offer connection in place of isolation and remind them that they’re part of a community that truly gets it.

As Keryn, who was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukaemia at 18, shared:

“There are often times where I feel alone but when I get a message about an event I think about all the amazing people I get to meet.”

Your continued support makes this possible – helping young people who might otherwise feel alone to find friendship, joy, and belonging once again. Thank you for being part of that journey.