There was a time when the elderly were the public face of a cancer diagnosis. It was assumed that the disease would hit people in the winter of their lives – not their prime.
But now, statistics show there has been a stark increase in the number of young adults being diagnosed with cancer. Over the past four years, Chai Cancer Care – the UK Jewish community’s leading cancer support organisation, reported a 311 percent increase in clients aged 18-40. In 2023-2024, there were 1,270 appointments for young adults diagnosed with cancer, a staggering surge from the 309 young adult appointments from 2019-2020.
And the impact is clear.
For young people, a diagnosis goes beyond the initial shock and treatment. They say it affects them at key milestones, from impacting their education to their career, friendships, romantic relationships and fertility.
Charlotte with her husband Adam and their son Levi
Charlotte Herman, 31, was 23 weeks pregnant when she was diagnosed with stage 3 Hodgkin’s Lymphoma. Just a few months earlier, in October 2022, Manchester-based Charlotte – a dietician with a healthy lifestyle – married Adam and they went on honeymoon to South Africa and Mauritius. By February 2023, she was pregnant.
“We were on a massive high,” recalls Charlotte. “I had no symptoms or morning sickness. I thought, ‘Great – this is a breeze’.” But later on, she had a cough and noticed some lumps in her neck – believing them to be a side-effect of a viral infection. A GP provided a referral (which came through 18 months later), but it was Herman’s dentist who sent her for a fast-track test and biopsy of the lump. “I thought I was going to be given some antibiotics and sent home,” says the Whitefield Hebrew Congregation member. “I went in with my dad and was told ‘it’s cancer’. We both broke down.
“I remember asking horrendous questions: ‘Am I going to die? Do I need to terminate my pregnancy?’
“We had to talk about whether to deliver the baby and then have treatment or have treatment whilst I was pregnant. There were so many unknowns.”
A former student of King David High School, Charlotte says: “It was a total shock. I was always fit and healthy. I ate well and went to the gym. At school, I was on the netball team and took part in cross-country races. I was never overweight, never smoked or did drugs. I would have some alcohol on a night out, but never regularly. I was very conscious of my health.”
A decision was taken for her to have treatment whilst she was pregnant. “I was having chemotherapy whilst taking pregnancy vitamins,” she says. “On the one hand, you’re told to avoid something like ibuprofen when you’re pregnant, but then I was being given these treatment drugs and chemotherapy.”
Seeking support, her grandma, who used Chai’s services after Charlotte’s grandpa died battling cancer, encouraged her to contact the charity.
“At first, I was a bit hesitant because I was nervous talking about it,” says Charlotte, but she went on to have counselling and pregnancy massages at the centre in Manchester.
She eventually gave birth to her son, Levi, and was later cleared of cancer. “It was really important I had that support from Chai,” she says.
Benjamin Black
It’s a sentiment echoed by Benjamin Black, 41. Also from Manchester, the HR consultant was 32 years old when he saw a doctor for a dry cough and back pain. After an MRI, he was diagnosed with stage 4 Hodgkin’s Lymphoma. “I popped into the hospital for what I thought would be a 10-minute appointment,” he recalls. “They told me I had lesions all over my body.”
Bemjamin was referred to an NHS fertility service. “In the space of two days, I got my sperm frozen as a precautionary measure before I started chemo, although fortunately I was lucky and this turned out not to have been needed.” He adds: “I think it’s important that young people know and talk about this.”
For the next six months, he underwent chemotherapy – with treatment leading to hair loss, brain fog and short-term memory issues. His social circle narrowed, and he missed travel opportunities – something he had always valued.
A freelancer at the time, he stopped working – becoming financially dependent on his family. “I wanted to move to London, but I had to put that on hold and move in with my parents,” he recalls. “When you’re young, you don’t think anything is going to happen, so I didn’t have a lot of savings.”
Early into his diagnosis, Benjamin turned to Chai for support. Almost 20 years earlier, his mum was diagnosed with Hodgkin lymphoma and had been supported by the charity. “I didn’t think twice about calling Chai,” says Benjamin, who had an “amazing counsellor”, complementary therapies and physiotherapy after he was cleared of cancer. He recalls: “A massage didn’t cure my cancer, but it did give me that time to feel like I was being looked after; it was something to brighten up my day.”
Open about his experience, Benjamin is keen to challenge stigma around the disease. “I remember some people saying, ‘if you tell people about cancer in the middle of a date, they’ll think you can’t have kids’”. He adds: “Most people have been directly or indirectly affected by cancer, it’s nothing to be ashamed of or stigmatised by.”
Marc Rister
The importance of openness is a message shared by 30-year-old Marc Rister, who works in private banking. A former Haberdashers’ student, Marc, from Hertfordshire, was diagnosed with testicular cancer in early 2023, after noticing a lump on his testicle. After its removal, he underwent chemotherapy to reduce the risk of the cancer returning – leading to hair loss and a period in hospital.
“It was so important to have a strong network around. The food at the hospital was so bad that my mum would bring me chicken soup every day. Things like that – a home-cooked meal – just made the treatment more manageable,” he says.
For Marc, the diagnosis was a shock. “I ate healthy, never smoked or did drugs. I felt immortal,” he says.
During treatment, he went to Chai’s flagship centre in north-west London, after being encouraged by his mum who received counselling from the organisation after the diagnosis. “I was sceptical but once I was there, I was surprised at how much they do,” said Marcr, who had counselling and reflexology. “[Counselling] made me feel a lot calmer, and a chance to say what I was feeling and thinking without worrying about upsetting my family or my girlfriend. It was the same with reflexology and meditation, it really helped me manage and cope with what had happened.
“They also just seemed to ‘get it’ and understand what I was going through.”
Given the all-clear in July 2023, Marc “started refereeing, seeing friends and running again”.
He says: “For me, the most important thing is to raise awareness. If cancer can happen to me – someone healthy, who exercises and doesn’t drink or take drugs – it can happen to anyone. For anyone reading this, especially young men, I feel it’s important that we normalise checking ourselves regularly, talking about lumps we find, and most importantly, going to a doctor and getting it seen to. Getting treatment when I did saved me months of additional intensive chemotherapy, and maybe even saved my life.”
Victoria Portnoi
Victoria Portnoi, Chai’s CEO, says: “A cancer diagnosis is life-changing at any age, but for young adults, it brings unique and significant challenges—impacting their careers, relationships, fertility, and future. Chai has seen a significant rise in the number of young people seeking support, and we are committed to ensuring they do not face this journey alone.”
