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Tyler's story

Tyler was 21 and midway through his psychology degree when his life suddenly changed.

What started as a bit of fatigue turned out to be stage 4 Hodgkin’s Lymphoma - a diagnosis that pulled the rug out from under him and brought his life to a halt.

Within weeks, he’d gone from late-night study sessions and casual hangs with his friends, to hospital rooms, medication schedules and a body he no longer recognised. Treatment came on fast and hard. “I couldn’t believe what I was being told by the doctors, the shock just hit me, like no this doesn’t happen to young people” Tyler says.

“The changes came so fast; my life was put on hold in an instant” he says. “One week I looked like myself. The next, I couldn’t recognise myself.”

He lost weight, lost hair, lost all sense of routine. He describes those four months of treatment as a blur. It was physically short, but emotionally overwhelming. “I felt every emotion under the sun: pain, loneliness, isolation, helplessness, disappointment, frustration.”

When it ended, he entered remission, but far from feeling better. “From that moment on life was supposed to become ‘normal’, but I never felt it was ever going to be normal again.” Tyler says. “My biggest challenge was isolation.”

He also lost the things that had made him feel like himself. “All the hobbies I used to enjoy were just gone overnight. I found myself being alone a lot more, I had to stay inside, stay warm and away from anything that could make me sick as I was immune compromised.”

What followed was one of the hardest parts of his journey; the silence that comes after the noise. His friends didn’t quite know what to say, conversations became awkward and invites stopped coming in. His university studies were on pause, and while his body was healing, emotionally he felt stuck.

“My youth was essentially killed during my experience, and I have had to grow up very quickly.”

After sharing a post online looking to connect with others who had been through something similar, someone pointed him in Canteen’s direction. He got in touch, not expecting much, but what he found was a place where, for the first time in a long time, he felt seen.

“Canteen gave me a safe space to talk about what happened, without having to explain every detail. People just understood. I didn’t have to pretend I was fine anymore.”

Through one-on-one counselling support, Tyler was able to unpack the emotional weight he’d been carrying, not just from the cancer itself, but from everything it had taken away. Consistent check-ins from the Canteen team helped him find solid ground again.

“I’d had counselling in the past, but Canteen felt different. I found it useful because I could just be open and honest about how I was feeling, I felt supported, validated, and listened to with no judgement.”

At events and camps, he met other rangatahi who had been through similar experiences, and for the first time, he didn’t feel like the odd one out. There was no need to explain why he got tired easily, or why certain things made him anxious. Everyone there understood, because they’ve lived it too.

“The connection with other rangatahi who had been through similar experiences brought a huge sense of relief and validation. I wasn’t the only one. I wasn’t alone. I could empathise with them and know exactly how they felt.”

He also joined Canteen’s leadership programme, something completely outside his comfort zone. At the time, he considered himself shy and socially anxious. But bit by bit, camp by camp, that started to shift. “It’s this community support that has helped tremendously with my own self-esteem and confidence, areas I have struggled with previously.”

Today, Tyler is rebuilding. He’s back at university, studying part-time. He’s found a sense of routine again through the gym and working on hands-on projects like restoring an old car. But cancer left a mark that doesn’t just disappear with time. The support from Canteen continues to play a big role in how he navigates life after treatment.

“At Canteen it’s been so easy and eye opening, I still don’t believe it to this day. It’s this environment that has helped foster a sense of community, acceptance and personal growth which has given me to confidence to put myself further out there that I have been able to transfer this into my everyday life.”

Canteen’s impact on Tyler’s life hasn’t been about grand gestures or quick fixes. It’s been about ongoing support, real connection, and the space to grow into life beyond cancer. It’s only possible thanks to the generosity of people who believe rangatahi should never have to face cancer alone. By giving monthly, you’ll help make sure more rangatahi like Tyler get the support they need, for as long as they need it.