The Who’s Roger Daltrey has backed a new campaign from the Teenage Cancer Trust, arguing it has a chance to make a “huge difference”.
The rock legend curated the Trust’s annual concert series for 24 years before stepping back in 2024, and now he has voiced his support for their #AndYoungPeople campaign.
The charity is urging the UK government to ensure that teenagers and young adults with cancer are specifically considered in the upcoming National Cancer Plan For England, as well as in plans for the devolved nations. Find out more about the campaign here.
Speaking about his support, Daltrey has said: “When I think back on my life from the age of 13 to 26, those years were to have the biggest influence on my future. Young people are our future, so imagine being 18 years old and being told you have cancer after months – or even years! – of visiting your GP. This is happening far too often to teenagers in the UK’s health service. We have to ask, why?”
“The answer may not be obvious, and there may not one simple solution, so think about this: They deserve to be diagnosed at the earliest opportunity! This may mean training GPs to recognise the early symptoms and be aware that this age group can get cancer.”
“Faster referral to a specialist consultant is paramount for this group as the cancers they may have can be rare, extremely aggressive and difficult to treat,” he continued. “Time is of the essence. They also need to benefit from potentially life-saving clinical trials, and get the mental health support they need to help them cope with the devastating impact of cancer on their lives.”
“At the moment, so many young people are missing out on the help they need and that Teenage Cancer Trust provides. So, I ask you to please show your support for teenagers and young people with cancer by backing Teenage Cancer Trust’s #AndYoungPeople campaign.”
Daltrey remains a patron for Teenage Cancer Trust, while The Cure’s Robert Smith has assumed the role of the curator for their gig series from 2026 onwards.
“With The Cure’s long and outstanding support for Teenage Cancer Trust, Robert appreciates the vital work this charity does,” Daltrey said about his successor. “The concerts have become an essential fixture in the music calendar, featuring some of the world’s greatest artists. It has been a challenge to find the right person to take them on – but Robert, a true musical great, is the perfect curator for the 2026 concerts.”
In other news, Daltrey told an audience recently that he has been told he is “going blind”. Referencing the band’s 1969 rock opera title character, he added: “Thank God I’ve still got my voice. If I lost that I’ll go full Tommy.”
