Teenage Cancer Trust

Teenage Cancer Trust is a cancer care and support charity in the UK that exists to improve the cancer experience of young people aged 13–24. Founded in 1990, the charity's key service is providing specialist teenage units in NHS hospitals. It also trains and funds staff who are teenage cancer specialists. The units are dedicated areas for teenage and young adult patients, who are involved in their concept and creation. Medical facilities on the units are equipped with computers, TVs and game consoles.

To date, the charity has built 28 units in cities including London, Leeds, Liverpool, Birmingham, Sheffield, Newcastle, Manchester, Glasgow, Southampton, Edinburgh, Cardiff, Bristol, Cambridge, Hull, Leicester, Nottingham and Wirral.

The charity also serves as an advocate for teenage cancer needs, promoting related research and national and international forums. It also provides support services and education related to teenage and young adult cancer.

History

The idea for the charity grew by chance out of the eagerness of a group of women to organise a fashion show to fund a children's intensive care heart unit at Guy's Hospital, London. It was established in 1990.

Shane Meadows

Shane Meadows (born 26 December 1972) is an English film director, screenwriter, occasional actor and BAFTA winner.

Background

Meadows grew up in Uttoxeter, Staffordshire. His father was a long distance lorry driver and his mother worked in a fish and chip shop. His father discovered the body of child murder victim Susan Maxwell and was initially a suspect in the murder case, which led to Meadows being bullied and shunned by other children. He attended Picknalls First School, Oldfields Hall Middle School and Thomas Alleyne's High School. On weekends, he sold produce at a market in Uttoxeter. His love of cinema was fostered by regular trips to the Elite Cinema.

Meadows left school shortly before reaching his GCSEs, and soon turned to petty crime. He moved to Nottingham when he was 20. While living in the Sneinton area of Nottingham, he made roughly 30 short films with the friends he met there. He could not show these films to anyone because there were no film festivals in his area. His friends started one in the local cinema which became popular within the city.