College students from beauticians to bricklayers have been putting down their towels and trowels to learn the vital signs of cancer as part of a key awareness campaign in Hertfordshire.

The teenage trainees at Hertford Regional College were shown how to check their bodies for symptoms and encouraged to talk more among their friends and families about cancers that can affect all age groups.

The interactive workshops with more than 100 local students at Broxbourne and Ware campuses are now being showcased by the East of England Cancer Alliances as part of two key campaigns this April – Teenage and Young Adult Cancer Awareness Month and Testicular Cancer Awareness Month.

Cancer Lead Nurse Abigail Sifah, who works as part of the Hertfordshire and West Essex Integrated Care Board, used life-size models of body parts that can be affected by cancer – including breast, cervix and testicles – to overcome embarrassment and explain the importance of self-checking and screening.

The students also learned about healthy lifestyles and resources aimed at their age groups, such as digital apps, to support their wellbeing.

Abigail said: “We set out to make the sessions relevant and fun, despite cancer being a serious subject.

“This is an age when young people are body and image conscious and they often make important lifestyle choices, such as smoking and diet, that affect cancer risks throughout their lives.

“The main purpose was to help overcome stigma and embarrassment and to make sure that young people know how to take care of themselves and where to go for help if they need it.

“We also want them to be more aware of cancer as they go into their careers, where they will be able to use this knowledge to talk to their colleagues and clients about cancer risks and symptoms, plus the importance of early diagnosis.”

The bricklayers learned about testicular cancers and how to check for symptoms like lumps, pain, swelling and heaviness.

Testicular cancer is on the increase and is the most common cancer in men aged 15 to 45 – with the highest rates in men ages 30-34. Like many cancers, it is most treatable if diagnosed early. For more information please see: The Robin Cancer Trust | Germ Cell Cancer Charity | Raising Awareness for Young People and Testicular Cancer Awareness Month (macmillan.org.uk).

The beauty and childcare students focused on breast and cervical cancers, learning how to check their bodies and the importance of screening.

Every day, seven young people in the UK aged 13 to 24 will be told they have cancer. The Teenage Cancer Trust is teaming up with 15 other charities supporting young people with cancer across the UK for the first Teenage and Young Adult Cancer Awareness Month this April. For more information please see: Teenage and Young Adult Cancer Awareness Month | Teenage Cancer Trust and Teenage and young adult (TYA) cancers | Cancer Research UK.

Latest statistics show that one in two people will develop some form of cancer in their lifetime.

The East of England Cancer Alliances, which work as part of the NHS to transform local cancer services, are keen to involve more young people in their work.

They have an active Patient Partnership Group, co-chaired by Holly Masters, from Cambridgeshire, who was diagnosed with bowel cancer at the age of 23.

Holly said: “The work at Hertford Regional College is a fantastic example of making sure that young people can know their bodies and advocate for themselves in health services.”

The East of England Cancer Alliances are also surveying young people about their perceptions of cancer and accessing health services – see https://eoeca.onlinesurveys.ac.uk/connectcancer