We would like to thank the Trust whose generous funding is supporting a number of activities this year, the first being our trip to Shoreditch.
Who would have thought that a game of shuffleboard could have SO many health benefits? To the casual observer, it looks like a sedate game often associated with the elderly. But this image is quickly dismissed when you head to London Shuffle Club, in Shoreditch, it’s a very cool place to hang out with Lane Shuffle, Table Shuffle, cocktails, mocktails and gourmet pizzas to enjoy in the club or on the roof terrace (weather permitting, this is England after all).
We headed there with a group of over 18’s supported by the charity. Neither we, nor they had ever played the game before, so we worked together to understand the rules and get to grips with the game – the aim is to use cues to send weighted discs down a narrow board into a scoring area. Very quickly the game became highly competitive as it is totally legal to knock other players discs out of the scoring area with your own!
Playing games like this helps young people overcoming both the physical and mental challenges of cancer to feel challenged in a healthy way, it involves gentle movements which help you stretch, move your joints, improve your strength and flexibility, and being together with other young people who understand the challenges is good for your mental health.
While you’re waiting your turn and thinking about your next move, you’re improving your cognitive function, stimulating your brain, and improving your concentration.
So, with all that exertion, what better way to end the evening with some delicious cocktails and gourmet pizza with your newfound friends. Evenings like this improve the relationships of young people living with cancer, helps them to connect to others, to gain a fresh perspective and to move on positively.
“I felt really nervous as I haven't been in a group of people for a long time due to my treatment and immunity. I was worried about how I would integrate back into a social setting, especially with the brain fog I experience. When I am nervous, I can get very quiet, but the Charity team chatted with me - helping me feel more at ease. This meant that I was able to have the confidence to speak to others at the event and make some really meaningful connections. "
This type of activity wouldn’t be possible without the support of our generous funders, and we thank them for helping us to bring together more teenagers and young adults overcoming the challenges cancer brings.
