Outcomes

I have created and published the only online cancer community and website which supports young women with cancer. Called “Cancer Chicks”. The website is a pool of advice and information, covering topics such as: Fashion Advice, Hair Loss advice, Beauty and Skincare advice, Positivity and also the opportunity to read about other young women with cancer. The online community is on Facebook, it is a private group where young women should feel safe asking advice on anything they like. There are several things which haven’t yet been achieved which are plans for the future for cancer chicks.

Outputs

The audience is fast growing with new people being diagnosed with cancer everyday. On average 2-5 people request to join the online community per day. The feedback I have received from Cancer Chicks is that it has been extremely helpful to get people through their diagnosis and treatment. With one girl saying “Thank you again for creating the cancer chicks page and website, its brought me closer to so many people in the same position as me!!” and many others saying the same.

Process

I began creating this online community through my Instagram account. When I began blogging about my own cancer journey, I noticed how helpful and inspiring this was to other young women with cancer. I began receiving hundreds of messages asking me questions on topics mainly based on appearance through cancer. This was when I realised the gap in the support from already existing charities. So I created the Facebook page called cancer chicks which people began joining and it quickly grew to over 200 members. I then began creating the cancer chicks website, which now acts as a hub of advice and information which young women need when faced with cancer.

Strengths

The main strengths of cancer chicks is that there is nothing else existing like it. It is a totally original idea which has stemmed from my own struggles and therefore I feel I have a greater understanding of what exactly is needed for women out there battling cancer. Secondly, the ‘togetherness’ of the community already is so comforting for women and if it wasn’t for cancer chicks this would have never happened.