This anonymous story from UK Charity “Young Lives vs Cancer” highlights the challenges faced by one young transgender cancer patient. While remaining anonymous, he hopes this honest account will reach and support other trans young people facing cancer.

I lied a lot during my treatment. I said I didn’t mind when really I did, I said I felt fine when I didn’t, I said I was happy when I wasn’t. There were points during my treatment when I wasn’t able to see anybody, or leave my hospital room or feel as if I had any life at all worth saving.

I felt things would have been different if there was just somebody there who knew me, but nobody could come. Being 19 when I was diagnosed, I was in the awkward in-between age where I felt like an adult, but relied on my family to advocate for me still. My mum was still making my dentist appointments, but suddenly I was alone in a hospital and nobody knew me so nobody knew I wasn’t fine when I said I was. That’s one piece of advice I’d give to all young people going through treatment – let somebody know you.