About Dragonfly Cancer Trust

We work with specialist cancer treatment centres, hospitals, hospices and families across the UK providing support for young patients with terminal cancer who receive palliative treatment.

Our focus is on memory making, helping young patients to make each moment matter with their loved ones. 

We do this by providing Cash Gifts, keepsakes and creative therapy.

Our dedicated team of staff and volunteers are continuously inspired by the young people we support.

Cam, a young patient sitting in the garden with his grandmother

We support young palliative cancer patients under the age of 25

Our Journey

We’ve come a long way. From being founded as a small, family-led organisation we’ve transformed into a national charity, working with every major children's cancer unit and impacting the lives of hundreds of young people around the country every year. Find out more about how, in less than 15 years, we’ve gone from a local wonder to a real national force for change.

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Our Impact

We offer a unique service. We are one of the only charities of our type in the UK. While there are several children’s cancer charities and palliative care organisations across the country, Dragonfly Cancer Trust is distinct in its focus on emotional support and memory making, seeking to care for families as a whole as well as individual beneficiaries.  

Our Challenge

The challenge continues. Each year, within the age range we support, approximately 530 young people die from cancer. We want to reach out to and support every single one of them. We want every children’s healthcare provider to know our name and know how to refer a patient to us. We want to upscale our fundraising events to become bigger and better, and attract even more donors. We want to raise more money this year than ever before, with a mind to provide more and more services to young cancer patients.

Do you know a child or young person with terminal cancer who you think would benefit from our support?

Young Lives Vs Cancer Present Their New Improved Story Books for Children with Cancer

Their storybooks help children who’ve been diagnosed with cancer to understand what will happen next. Follow Charlie, Ava, Luca and Zarah through their diagnoses and treatment for four different types of cancer and learn about: 

  • What cancer is 
  • Treatment and side effects 
  • Staying in hospital 
  • Who to talk to about worries 
  • How family and friends might feel 
  • Missing school and going back 

The books are designed for children aged seven to 11 to read with a parent or carer, but they might also be helpful for others who are looking for information about cancer that’s easy to understand. Reading them with siblings, friends and classmates of a child with cancer can help them to understand what’s going on and talk about how they’re feeling. 

To read these books online go to https://www.younglivesvscancer.org.uk/cancer-info-support/my-child-has-cancer/storybooks/

Order Your Free Copy Today!

Charlie Has Leukaemia:

https://publications.younglivesvscancer.org.uk/collections/for-children/products/charlie-has-leukaemia

Ava Has a Tumour: 

https://publications.younglivesvscancer.org.uk/collections/for-children/products/ava-has-a-tumour

Luca Has Lymphoma: 

https://publications.younglivesvscancer.org.uk/collections/for-children/products/luca-has-lymphoma

Zarah Has a Brain Tumour: 

https://publications.younglivesvscancer.org.uk/collections/for-children/products/zarah-has-a-brain-tumour