Reducing Isolation & Building Lifelong Friendships

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.

Even without donations so far, our commitment to this project is unwavering.

The need for connection among young people living with and beyond cancer hasn’t gone away—and neither have we. Through our Be Connected program, we continue to bring together young people who understand what it’s like to face cancer during some of the most formative years of their lives.

Over the past quarter, we’ve been:

• Delivering weekly digital sessions that range from relaxed chats to creative workshops and movement classes.
• Gathering feedback from young people, which confirms the ongoing need for safe, judgement-free spaces where they can be themselves.
• Planning new in-person events that will deepen the friendships already forming online and help tackle loneliness head-on.

Although this particular project hasn’t yet received financial backing through GlobalGiving, it remains a vital part of our overall mission—and is being delivered thanks to our determination, resourcefulness, and support from other funding streams. We believe that by continuing to share our progress, potential donors will see the real and lasting impact their support could have.

In the coming months, we’re looking to:

• Expand the number of young people engaged in the program
• Introduce themed sessions based on friendship, mental wellbeing, and resilience
• Pilot a peer mentoring element within Be Connected

We’re not giving up—because the young people we support need and deserve to feel connected, understood, and supported.

If you’re reading this and wondering whether to get involved: now is the perfect time. Your donation could be the first building block in changing a young person’s life. Let’s do it together.

Thank you for reading, and for believing in the power of connection.