Helen Wagner

Hi, I am Helen. My 23-year-old son was diagnosed in 2024 with stage 4 Lymphoma, after four horrendous months of being dismissed by healthcare practitioners. The ensuing investigation highlighted endless missed opportunities and process failures.

Following diagnosis, he was fortunate to receive world class, holistic care from the Royal Marsden, invaluable support from the Teenage Cancer Trust and Young Lives versus Cancer and then went on a transformational trip with the Ellen McArthur charity.

I currently work in healthcare regulation and have led transformation projects in my former career. Having experienced the very worst and very best of cancer care for young adults, I am passionate about being part of a collective of amazing charities that can lobby for meaningful, realistic change.  

My regulatory  work has inspired me to think about how education and professional development could contribute to changing the narrative for young people with cancer.

Cancer in young people is unavoidable, late diagnosis and poor treatment experience is not – I am driven by my son’s experience to advocate for age-appropriate care and mental health support, before diagnosis, during and after treatment for all children and young people.