Dear Editor,

Cancer can stop families spending Christmas at home together, but we know everyone needs somewhere to call ‘home’.

That’s why Young Lives vs Cancer (formally CLIC Sargent) the UK’s leading cancer charity for children and young people, helps families to stay together over Christmas.

Young Lives vs Cancer has ten Homes from Home across the UK, where families can stay for free to be nearby while their child is having treatment.

When families facing cancer can’t be at home together at Christmas because of their child’s treatment, we arrange for them to stay in one of our free Homes from Home.

A place where they can celebrate that isn’t hospital, where their child can forget about cancer. Our local home for Dorset families is called Jean’s House and is close by to Southampton Hospital which is the nearest Principal Treatment Centre for children and young people with cancer.

With the community’s support, donations will help fund Young Lives vs Cancer Homes from Home service, to help give families their Christmas back.

Please donate today to help keep families together this Christmas - www.younglivesvscancer.org.uk/join-our-fight/christmasappeal

As well as donating, there are other ways the community in Dorset can support Young Lives vs Cancer’s vital work this Christmas.

You can visit our online shop to buy this year’s Christmas cards and toys or to get one of our festive pin badges to show your support: www.younglivesvscancer.org.uk/join-our-fight/get-shopping

Pin badges are also available at Morrisons and JDWetherspoon for a suggested £1 donation.

Locals can also become a Young Lives vs Cancer ‘Stamp Champ’ by collecting the stamps from Christmas cards and other mail and sending them to the charity: www.younglivesvscancer.org.uk/stamp-appeal

Anyone looking for a challenge could also take on the Race to the North Pole to raise money for our Homes from Home this Christmas. Form a group and take on 2,700 miles and raise £2,700, the amount it costs to run our ten Homes from Home on Christmas Day.

Find out more: https://funds.younglivesvscancer.org.uk/racetothenorthpole

I’d like to say a personal thank you to everyone in the community who has supported Young Lives vs Cancer this year. Your help and generosity means Young Lives vs Cancer can continue to be there for more children and young people from Dorset facing cancer.

Hope that you all have a happy and healthy 2022.

Liz Blunt

Young Lives vs Cancer, Senior Fundraising Engagement Manager