Receiving treatment for cancer can be a very lonely experience – particularly for those who receive treatment in cities far from home or need to be in hospital for a long time. For young people, being away from friends and family like this can be especially isolating. That’s why we are proud to announce that this November we will begin working with CLIC Sargent to help alleviate loneliness and social isolation among young people with cancer.
There are 2 parts to the project; support in CLIC Sargent’s services and in their Homes from Home.
CLIC Sargent Services
CLIC Sargent supports many young people who are in hospital or who have recently been discharged following treatment. Throughout their work CLIC Sargent will identify young people who are at risk of loneliness or who are experiencing isolation, and we will provide them with a tablet computer to help them stay in touch with friends and family at home.
At WaveLength we know the kind of difference that a simple tablet can make in these circumstances. Last year we provided a tablet to a young woman with terminal cancer who had to live in complete isolation. She was not even able to see her young children, as even the slightest infection could prove fatal. However, through her tablet she was able to Skype with her family and see her children again.
From 1st November we will roll out this project across 4 of CLIC Sargent’s regions; Wales, Birmingham, Liverpool and Southampton. Each regional team will loan or donate a tablet to individuals who are at risk of isolation, in hospital for long periods of time (such as those having bone marrow transplants), are being treated a long way from home or who would benefit from the technology to keep up with education or work.
Homes from Home
We will also provide Smart TVs and large tablet computers for CLIC Sargent’s Homes from Home across the UK. When a young person needs specialist treatment they may have to go to a hospital which is far from home, and the travel or overnight stays can be stressful and prohibitively expensive for the young person’s family. A Home from Home is a safe, comfortable space very close to treatment hospitals where families can stay for free.
WaveLength will provide Smart TVs for 6 of CLIC Sargents’ Homes from Home in Bristol, Glasgow, London, Oxford and Southampton, as well as a large tablet for Paul’s House in London and Marion’s House in Glasgow. These will allow Home from Home visitors to stay in touch with family and friends, keep up with work or education and have fun while they are in the houses.
We hope that these donations will make life a little easier for young people going through treatment, and provide them and their families with a little comfort and companionship at a difficult time in their lives.