About us Our Impact THE IMPACT OF OUR SUPPORT We're a small charity and we receive no government funding, so our work is only made possible by our incredible supporters. We couldn't do it without you and we want you to know that we're making every penny count. 34 young adults are diagnosed every day in the UK, we are dedicated to providing them with the tools they need to get moving physically, socially and psychologically when cancer stops them in their tracks. We know our support is making a difference. “Charity's like Trekstock provide invaluable support in recognising that dealing with the fallout from cancer is ongoing” WHY WE’RE RELEVANT - WHAT YOU TELL US 97% of our community told us that they think Trekstock is relevant to them as a young adult in their 20s and 30s. “The events you put on allow young adults with cancer to meet others going through what you are. There’s no sitting in a room feeling like the youngest person by 15-20 years, which sadly can feel incredibly isolating. The events allow us to feel ‘normal’ when usually we feel anything but” WHY WE'RE IMPORTANT - WHAT YOU TELL US “It’s helping me put my life back together! I didn't realise how important it was to go to events with other cancer peeps and feel part of a community of people who 'get it' until I started going to Trekstock events. Trekstock helps us to ride the roller coaster with amazing people instead of trying to face it all alone.” THE TOP SUPPORT NEEDS When you’re in your 20s and 30s and you have cancer, you still want to have fun, still want to get active, still want to socialise because you’re a young adult first and foremost, not defined by your diagnosis. Through continuous evaluation, we listen to what our community tell us they need; 89% tell us they need psychological support 73% tell us they need help getting physically active 60% tell us they need help with diet and nutrition INFO ABOUT OUR COMMUNITY Average age is 29 and in treatment 68% are in treatment or finished less than 2 years ago 80% in part-time or full-time work 79% received chemotherapy 60% found out about us through social media 67% found that we met their original support needs 85% would like to hear about us at diagnosis or 3 months into treatment WAYS WE SUPPORT - SOCIAL AND PSYCHOLOGICAL Through our online and offline community we bridge isolation by bringing young adults together to meet and connect. “The more I discover about Trekstock, the more excited I am to become a part of it! There is a feeling of being let go once the cancer journey comes to end, yet there are so many more hurdles to overcome before resuming a 'normal life'. Trekstock seems to act as that bridge to give support and information to those who need it” ONLINE COMMUNITY 70% use our online private Facebook community 72% felt it met their need to connect with others “I posted on the Facebook group and my god it helped to hear from those it in same head space. Sometimes you need to talk to people who just get it. As hard as partners, friends or family try, and as much support as they give, they can’t feel the fatigue or the emotional pain that catches you unawares.” SOCIAL MEET UPS + EVENTS At each event, we ask our community to complete a short questionnaire to help us get a better understanding of how they help them. We found that most young adults come along to meet others like them, however by the end 91% of those attending felt less isolated. “I love the relaxed nature of Trekstock’s meet-ups and this one was no different. You’re more than a diagnosis when you’re there.” MEET UPS - YOU TOLD US 63% found they helped with social isolation 55% found they built their confidence and helped with the psychological wellbeing 85% would be very likely attend another meet up 83% would definitely recommend them to another young adult with cancer 75% felt happy after attending a meet up 91% felt less isolated after attending MEET & MOVE EVENTS - YOU TOLD US 87% felt it built their confidence 73% felt it helped them connect with others 65% helped get them active again 45% of young adults who come along to a Meet & Move event go on to sign up to the RENEW programme. 91% would be very likely to recommend them to another young adult living with cancer "Thank you so much for an amazing Meet & Move day. We're are leaving feeling much more positive about the future” WAYS WE SUPPORT - PHYSICAL ACTIVITY We’ve been running an evaluation of our RENEW 12 week exercise programme to help us understand more about the benefit is has upon the health, holistic wellbeing and quality of life of young adults with cancer. We're in the process of crunching the data with Dr Gemma Pugh but in the meantime, we'd love to share some feedback from past RENEW participants: EXERCISE PROGRAMME - YOU TOLD US 72% found it helped get them moving again 72% found it helped get them stronger and fitter 61% found it helped them gain their confidence 88% are very likely to recommend the programme to another young adult living with cancer 100% felt that our group exercise classes helped get them moving again “When I started, I had been off work for 7 months and I could barely walk up a flight of stairs without needing a rest. After finishing the program I am back to work full time and cycling 6 miles there-and-back a couple of times a week. I would highly recommend the program, and am so grateful to Trekstock for giving me this opportunity.” WAYS WE SUPPORT - PRACTICAL INFO We’ve recently produced a Food and Cancer - What’s The Deal? nutrition resource with Dr Hazel Wallace, The Food Medic and a team of experts. Since launching we've had an overwhelming response from young adults with cancer, family members and healthcare professionals from across the UK. “As a cancer research nurse, I've found educating myself about nutrition within cancer difficult and therefore can empathise with patients who are also looking to find out the same information. This has been amazing to read and so useful, I have learnt a lot from this” WHAT NEXT - LISTENING TO YOUR NEEDS We noticed that not many men were coming along to our usual Meet & Move events. To help us understand why we held a workshop this April. We asked guys to tell us more about what they want and what could be done to help young men with cancer connect with one another. The guys that attended told us that it can sometimes feel daunting to meet other young people with cancer and that they often feel worried talking about their cancer experience for the first time. We listened to this feedback and felt something needed to be done so held a Meet & Move event especially for men. It was a brilliant event with guys chatting and opening up about the issues that were specific to them. There was the opportunity to take part in exercise led by L4 cancer rehab trainers who deliver the RENEW programme, coaching sessions on how to move forward from cancer, and group discussions about what it’s like to be a young man with cancer. Here’s how the guys who attended described the event: Well organised. Good content. Great location. (Age 39, Brain Tumour)Fun. Relaxed. Reassuring. (Age 38, Brain Tumour)Inspiring. Eye-opening. Special. (Age 25, Testicular Cancer)Inspiring. Empowering. Engaging. (Age 25, Testicular Cancer)Meeting. Sharing. Less lonely. (Age 33, Glioma)Relaxed. Bonding. Genuine. (Age 26, Osteosarcoma)Helpful. Relaxing. Peace of mind. (Age 34, Testicular Cancer) We listen to and value your feedback as it helps to shape the events and programmes as all we offer is based on your suggestions. We couldn’t do this without your input. If you have ideas, questions or feedback - feel free to get in touch [email protected].