Helping young people in their fight against cancer

A grant from Cheshire West and Chester Council’s Community Response Fund has helped CLIC Sargent continue to stop cancer impacting young lives during the coronavirus pandemic.

The Council’s Fund is worth £500,000 in total, with the Westminster Foundation providing a £250,000 donation, and it aims to support community initiatives across the borough responding to COVID-19.

CLIC Sargent supports young people with cancer, as well as their families, through their treatment, with a grant from the Community Response Fund helping people across west Cheshire.

With the restrictions that have been in place during the pandemic, cancer treatment has been even more challenging than it already would be for young patients and their families.

The £2,500 grant from the Community Response Fund has helped CLIC Sargent continue to provide invaluable support to people remotely.

Nickie, Teen and Young Adult Social Worker, said: “I’m helping a young person and their family from Chester who are finding their way through treatment.

“This includes being there to listen and talk to them while they are separated from their family during treatment due to COVID-19 restrictions. It is so hard for them because, before COVID-19, their family stayed with them during every hospital admission.

“I encourage them to stay connected with friends while they are shielding using different technology so they don’t feel out of the loop.

“I am helping them plan for their future, which they feel like has been put on hold. We are planning for returning to school, thinking about college, about careers – all things that felt out of reach when the doctor first said cancer.

“I am helping their parents continue to cope with the financial demands of having a child with cancer, which is even trickier considering the impact COVID-19 has had on their overall income due to redundancies and furloughing. Some of them have been applying for a CLIC Sargent Financial Hardship Grant, while looking into other options available for them.

“COVID-19 compounds the adversity and challenges that young people with cancer and their families already face. The grant from the Council’s Community Response Fund has really made a big difference to us at CLIC Sargent and the people we support.”

Who can apply

• Any group based in west Cheshire
• Voluntary organisations, community groups, small charities or other not-for-profit-organisations

Applications for the Community Response Fund will be considered from groups that show they are providing a service or initiative that benefits others in their community in response to this emergency. The Council is unlikely to support individuals, businesses and sporting organisations and all applications will be considered on a case-by-case basis.

Any grants over £500 will be considered, but it is expected most grants will be around £2,000. To access an application form, community initiatives will need to email: chesterlocality@cheshirewestandchester.gov.uk. They will then be able to complete the application form and return it to the same email address. If groups don’t have their own bank account, they should contact the Locality team for support.

Pictured - Nickie is continuing to support young people with cancer, as well as their families, through the COVID-19 pandemic.