Daisy Plews
She/Her
Joining the North Star Cancer Collective’s Lived Experience Advisory and Action group is really important to me. In February this year, I was diagnosed with stage 2 Hodgkin’s Lymphoma and my whole world stopped. I was always active, either in the gym, school or spending time with my mum and the cats, dogs or horses.
Cancer forced me to slow down in a way I never imagined. It is one of the hardest journeys I have been through in my life but it has taught me how important the little things are and I have developed so much gratitude towards these things.
Through treatment, I have realised how important it is for young people to feel truly seen and understood - not just as patients but as individuals with hopes, dreams and identities beyond cancer. Now that I am in remission, I want to be able to use my experiences to help others feel supported and hopeful.
Joining this group feels like an incredible chance to turn this really hard journey into something meaningful and to help create a space where all young people are not just listened to but heard and understood. I also want to ensure lived experience drives real change to ensure young people going through cancer feel valued, less alone, hopeful and more supported.