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Julie Cain, Teenage Cancer Trust, national lead nurse for Scotland, recently had the incredible opportunity to present at the Global Congress for Adolescent and Young Adult (AYA) Cancer Care, hosted by Canteen Australia. This event happens every 18 months and rotates between Teenage Cancer Trust in the UK, Teen Cancer America, and Canteen Australia. It brings together people from around the world to share ideas and learn more about the challenges and opportunities in cancer care for teenagers and young adults.
Julie’s trip to Australia was funded by Teenage Cancer Trust, and her presentation focused on a podcast series she developed earlier this year. Radio Therapy which shares stories from young people in Scotland, is now funded by Beatson Cancer Charity. Julie explained, “We released the first season in April, and the response was amazing. I thought it would be a great idea to share it with everyone at the Congress, so I submitted an abstract, and it was accepted.”
Attending the Congress wasn’t just about sharing her work; it was also a chance to learn from others and hear about the experiences of young people from all over the world. “Teenagers and young adults with cancer have unique challenges, but these challenges are universal. It was incredible to chat with young people in Australia who could relate to the experiences shared in our podcast. There were so many ‘me too’ moments where they completely understood what our young people in Scotland had talked about.”
The podcast, which started with stories from young people in Glasgow and the West of Scotland, has already covered some powerful topics. Season 2 focused on the perspectives of parents, while the upcoming Season 3—set to launch in January—will feature young men sharing their experiences. Julie found it fascinating to hear the similarities and differences between the male and female perspectives.
The Congress also gave Julie plenty of ideas to bring back to Scotland. “Events like this leave you buzzing with inspiration. There’s so much that could be adapted or introduced here to enhance the support we provide. One thing that really stood out was how involved young people were in organising and hosting the event in Australia. They even chaired some sessions alongside professionals, and they did such a fantastic job. I’d love to see something similar happen when the UK hosts the Congress in 18 months.”
Another highlight was learning from Indigenous communities about their health challenges and outcomes. “There’s so much to take away from their experiences,” Julie said, adding that she’s keen to see how these lessons could inform cancer care in Scotland.
Reflecting on the experience, Julie is excited about the future of the podcast and its potential to connect young people beyond Scotland. “There’s real scope to be creative here. We could look at collaborating internationally or even including voices from other countries in future episodes. It’s exciting to think about where this could go.”
The Congress, which brought together 450 delegates from around the world, was a powerful reminder of the importance of connection and shared understanding. With funding from Beatson Cancer Charity supporting the next season of the podcast, Julie is eager to keep amplifying these voices and making sure young people feel less alone, no matter where they are.
