A YOUNG woman who was diagnosed with cancer days before the UK went into lockdown has backed calls for the Government to allow a support bubble for those in treatment.

Beth Clyde has thrown her support behind the Teenage Cancer Trust and Clic Sargent’s Hand2Hold campaign in a bid to stop young people aged 16 to 25-years-old facing the disease alone.

The 22-year-old spent much of last year shielding at home with her mum, however, she wasn’t able to bring anyone along to her chemotherapy appointments or have visits when she was hospitalised with infections.

She said: “This is an age where you are just finding your independence. It’s a stage in your life where you still need some more support than you do when you’re more grown up.

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“My mum was only allowed to come to my last ever appointment to find out my results. Luckily, we found out I was in remission, but I was so grateful to have her there because you just don’t know how it’s going to go.

“I understand why there are restrictions in place, but when it’s a member of your own household, it doesn’t make much sense.”

She added: “The nurses were all great, I couldn’t fault them and they really helped me, but there’s no one like your own mum.”

The campaign has called on all four UK government’s to pledge their commitment to ensuring young people do not have to face treatment or important medical appointments alone.

For Beth, who bravely graduated university while undergoing treatment for Hogkin’s Lymphoma, the most difficult part of the process was trying to remember the key information she learned at appointments with her consultant in order to relay it to her worried mum.

Dr Louise Soanes, chief nurse at Teenage Cancer Trust, explained this was a problem for many youngsters.

She said: “We understand that the coronavirus pandemic means we need to take extra precautions to protect those who are most vulnerable, but know that in some places, having that important hand to hold is allowed whereas in others, it is not.

“Having cancer treatment, receiving a diagnosis or learning or hearing how you’re responding to treatment, can be for many a scary and isolating experience.

“Young people then need to share often very complex information – some of which they might be still processing – with family members, friends or a partner.

“That’s why, together with CLIC Sargent, we want to dispel the disparity so all young people, where safe and possible, have that crucial loved one with them and a hand to hold, particularly during some of the most difficult times of their life.”

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A spokesman for the Scottish Government said: “We thank Teenage Cancer Trust for getting in touch and will respond to their invitation directly.

"We understand the severe impact the pandemic has had on people’s lives, including those being treated for cancer and other serious conditions, and we are committed to ensuring our guidance does emphasise flexibility and compassion.

"We look forward to exploring this on a four nations basis and being able to discuss this issue in more depth.”