Hertfordshire teenage cancer charity gets keys to new home
A teenage cancer charity is celebrating its 18th birthday by receiving the keys to a landmark new facility.Teens Unite Fighting Cancer, based in Hoddesdon, Hertfordshire, has purchased a property in nearby Broxbourne, which it hopes will be used to support people aged between 13 and 24.Chief executive Roxanne Lawrance said it would be the first of its kind in England; designed to provide residential stays for teenagers who had been diagnosed with cancer.The charity was set up in 2007 to bring young people with cancer together by organising short breaks and group days out.
It was founded by the fashion designer Karen Millen and her friend Debbie Pezzani, who met the charity's first beneficiary, Chris Firmager, then 19, while she was volunteering at a hospital in London.
Mr Firmager, from Stevenage, had been diagnosed with stage four Hodgkin lymphoma, a cancer of the lymphatic system, which his younger brother Carl was also diagnosed with a year later.Carl died in Mrs Pezzani's arms in 2005."It was that night that I said to Chris 'we need to do something'," she recalled."The medical support is amazing but, actually, everything else falls by the wayside."The organisation initially worked with young people from Hertfordshire, Essex and Kent, but the introduction of virtual events in the pandemic quickly transformed Teens Unite into a national charity.It said it was on track to achieve its goal of supporting 10,000 teenagers and young adults within the next 10 years.Mrs Pezzani, from Wormley, who was awarded a British Empire Medal last year, said it had been her dream for the past 18 years to build a retreat for the young people.Mr Firmager, now 41, is still in contact with many of the friends he made through Teens Unite and said he was proud of his brother's legacy."It's one thing to go through it yourself but to see someone else go through it that you care about is very difficult."He was a very special person and to know he's helped to make a difference to other people going through similar journeys… it's unbelievable."
Follow Beds, Herts and Bucks news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Daily Mirror
4 days ago
- Daily Mirror
Premier League star in tears as he learns he'll become dad after beating cancer
Bournemouth and Wales star David Brooks was diagnosed with stage-two Hodgkin lymphoma almost four years ago, but now he and wife Flora are expecting their first child David Brooks cried tears of joy after being told he is to become a dad – something the Wales forward feared might not happen following his 2021 cancer diagnosis. Brooks, who was diagnosed with stage-two Hodgkin lymphoma nearly four years ago, and wife Flora are expecting their first child on November 1. The 27-year-old Bournemouth player announced he was cancer-free in May 2022, but the long-term effects of the disease in terms of fathering children were unclear. 'Obviously when I was diagnosed you have those conversations and there were never any guarantees that I would be able to have children in the future,' said Brooks, who has linked up with the Wales squad for their World Cup qualifying double header against Liechtenstein and Belgium. 'There was a chance it wouldn't have been possible and I was really lucky that it came naturally. After my treatment things went back to normal so, of course, I was really happy. We were trying so it wasn't a massive shock, but there were a few tears. 'We always wanted kids at some point, but the situation kind of took it out of hands a little bit. So it's obviously very nice for everything to come naturally and progress into being a family. 'We're really looking forward to it, even though she is going through everything that comes with being pregnant.' Brooks was the Wales hero in their last World Cup qualifier against North Macedonia in March. His equaliser in the sixth minute of stoppage time secured a precious 1-1 draw, making it four points from the opening two qualifiers and extending Craig Bellamy's unbeaten start as Dragons manager to eight games. 'I think it instils a little bit of fear into who we are playing,' said Brooks. 'They know we are not going to give up, even if it's the 96th minute. It's a massive positive. 'If felt like a big goal in North Macedonia and it makes the table looks a lot better for us. I feel like we are on a good journey.' Brooks says he is now in the 'old box' at 27 with the Wales squad having changed so much in recent years. Gareth Bale and Joe Allen are retired and captain Aaron Ramsey, the third standout member of the team which reached the semi-finals of Euro 2016, is recovering from another injury setback. Brooks said: 'This is probably the first campaign we have had without them. 'There's a lot of young talent coming through and a lot of lads, including myself, who have been waiting for an opportunity to showcase ourselves. 'We are all looking as a collective to try to move forward, instead of it being about the special individual.'
Powys County Times
4 days ago
- Powys County Times
There were a few tears – Wales forward David Brooks expecting first child
David Brooks cried tears of joy after being told he is to become a dad – something the Wales forward feared might not happen following his 2021 cancer diagnosis. Brooks, who was diagnosed with stage-two Hodgkin lymphoma nearly four years ago, and wife Flora are expecting their first child on November 1. The 27-year-old Bournemouth player announced he was cancer-free in May 2022, but the long-term effects of the disease in terms of fathering children were unclear. 'Obviously when I was diagnosed you have those conversations and there were never any guarantees that I would be able to have children in the future,' said Brooks, who has linked up with the Wales squad for their World Cup qualifying double header against Liechtenstein and Belgium. 'There was a chance it wouldn't have been possible and I was really lucky that it came naturally. After my treatment things went back to normal so, of course, I was really happy. 'We were trying so it wasn't a massive shock, but there were a few tears. 'We always wanted kids at some point, but the situation kind of took it out of hands a little bit. 'So it's obviously very nice for everything to come naturally and progress into being a family. 'We're really looking forward to it, even though she is going through everything that comes with being pregnant.' Brooks was the Wales hero in their last World Cup qualifier against North Macedonia in March. His equaliser in the sixth minute of stoppage time secured a precious 1-1 draw, making it four points from the opening two qualifiers and extending Craig Bellamy's unbeaten start as Dragons manager to eight games. 'I think it instils a little bit of fear into who we are playing,' said Brooks. 'They know we are not going to give up, even if it's the 96th minute. It's a massive positive. 'If felt like a big goal in North Macedonia and it makes the table looks a lot better for us. I feel like we are on a good journey.' Brooks says he is now in the 'old box' at 27 with the Wales squad having changed so much in recent years. Gareth Bale and Joe Allen are retired and captain Aaron Ramsey, the third standout member of the team which reached the semi-finals of Euro 2016, is recovering from another injury setback. Brooks said: 'This is probably the first campaign we have had without them. 'There's a lot of young talent coming through and a lot of lads, including myself, who have been waiting for an opportunity to showcase ourselves. 'We are all looking as a collective to try to move forward, instead of it being about the special individual.'
Evening Standard
29-05-2025
- Evening Standard
'It's rough': Kath and Kim star Magda Szubanski shares rare and aggressive cancer diagnosis
According to Cancer Research UK, 600 people are diagnosed with MCL in the UK each year. Of all people with non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) in the UK, approximately 5 in every 100 are diagnosed with mantle cell lymphoma.
