HELP ADOLESCENTS WITH CANCER We are a self help group and solely depend on donations from the public and various organisations together with the fund raising efforts of our members.WHAT DOES H.A.W.C. OFFER.We offer members the opportunity to take part in social outings, group meetings, workshop venture/holidays and most importantly of all, support and counselling By counselling we mean a space to talk, to explore feelings and to find new ways of thinking about our problems and difficulties You may be anxious about trying to cope with cancer or concerned about how the treatment is going to work.You may want to talk to someone who has already experienced chemotherapy, radiotherapy, surgery or even a bone marrow transplant.You will want to know what effect the treatment will have on you.; One of the most common concerns of teenagers about to undergo these forms of treatment is how they will look without hair.Well we can tell them. We can also tell them what effect it will have on their futures. They wonder if their ability to have children will be affected. They may be apprehensive about talking to a professional; We can answer all these questions and more. They can discuss any worries or problems with someone who has previous experience and we can help them to regain their self-confidence in order that they are able to carry on with their lives and possibly assist others.We provide support and counselling for parents and siblings, especially where there has been a loss of a young person within the family. Often the siblings need extra help and counselling because of a feeling of being left out or perhaps they feel that they are being smothered by their parents. All these sensations are perfectly natural.DEVELOPMENT OF H.A.W.C.seventeen years H.A.W.C. has developed from just two teenagers into a large group. We now have in excess of six hundred members and we welcome young people from all hospitals and clinics, by referral;by doctors and social workers or by approach by young people themselves who have been or are being affected by cancer or any life threatening disease. The activities of the group are controlled solely by the embers.This group must remain a self-help organisation. However, the sheer weight of administration and fund raising has made it necessary to form an organising committee. This group consists of a mixture of adults and young cancer patients whose job it is to ensure that the finance is available to enable the group members to participate in their activities.QUESTIONS If you have any questions which you would like to ask please remember that H.A.W.C. is for every teenager who has been affected by cancer. your lifeline and I feel sure that we will be able to answer, if not all your questions, then most of them. We are almost certain to have someone in the group who has experienced the same problems and worries.; So if you feel that we can help or perhaps that you can help us then please contact H.A.W.C.We still have a lot of work to do but if you know of anyone who has or had cancer as a teenager then ask them to contact:  H.A.W.C. by telephone or e-mail day or night on 0161 6886244 or 07718801013 WE RUN A TWENTY FOUR HOUR HELPLINE; WITH A BACKUP ANSWERING SERVICE.FUTURE AIMS.Our aim is to eventually have all teenagers and twenty somethings who have been treated for cancer in hospital belonging to H.A.W.C. and working together to improve their lives. WE NEED TO HAVE OUR VOICES HEARD BY THOSE WHO MATTER.We must be able to talk more openly to doctors and to discuss the various treatments that are available and where help can be sought.It is essential that our M.P.s and the  GOVERNMENT heed young peoples pleas for medical rights.EMPLOYMENT We also need to fight for more help in the field of employment. So often where an employer sees that a person is disabled they are not at all happy about offering them work.; So when it is found that a person has cancer they are often shown the door.; I can hear you saying,;That surely doesn happen. Well experience tells us that it does. DRIVING TESTS.We don;t have an easy time of it when it comes to taking our driving tests either written or practical. Some of our members have only been given a driving licence for one year. Why; Not every person who has cancer is disabled and in any case disabled people should have the same opportunities as the able bodied EDUCATION.Several of our members have suffered prolonged breaks in their education as a result of their conditions. They have then experienced difficulties in resuming their studies. Through the experience of other we are able to offer advice on whom to contact in order to receive guidance in this matter.BENEFITS.We have a tremendous number of problems in this field, but again with your help and that of the D.S.S. we have been able to overcome a lot of them.  Now when one of our members needs help on this matter we are able to advise them and, in most cases, to sort out the problem. Communication is the name of the game in this field and finding the right person to help you can be frustrating. Getting beyond the red tape and finding the appropriate person is the key to success.IS RUN BY ADOLESCENTS WITH CANCER FOR ADOLESCENTS WITH CANCER.SO WHY DONT YOU COME AND HELP US; WE NEED YOU JUST GIVE US A CALL ON;0161 688 6244 DAY OR NIGHT to:hawc@btinternet.com" e.mailto:niki@hawc.fsnet.co.uk" OR VISIT OUR WEB-SITE AT;www.hawc-co-uk.com