Cancer survivor design a communication tool kit to help teenagers undergoing treatment

Bethany Millar was diagnosed with leukaemia when she was 17 and now, at 24 she was given the all-clear, the support she received from the Teenage Cancer Trust charity inspired her to create a communication toolkit to help young people talk more comfortably about their diagnosis.

The kit includes games, music cards and sweets, also, it includes an informative book to advise friends on how to talk to people going through treatment, with space for messages and questions.

“The Teenage Cancer Trust was a massive help to my family and me. They held some fantastic events that really helped take my mind off my diagnosis and I couldn’t have done it without them,” Bethany said.

She hopes the interactive book may be displayed in the Teenage and Young Adult Cancer Unit containing advice from other young people affected by cancer on how to deal with some of the challenges of the treatment.

“The kit reinforces the importance of reaching out to your friends when you are undergoing your treatment – friendly faces can be such a big help,” Bethany said.

“Teenagers can often find talking about the simpler things in life difficult – let alone a cancer diagnosis. This kit is just my way of helping them speak out a bit more about it so that they know exactly what is happening and that no question is silly or shouldn’t be asked,” she said.

Adapted from: https://www.edinburghnews.scotsman.com/news/people/edinburgh-student-cre...
https://www.napier.ac.uk/about-us/news/communicating-with-cancer