International cheerleading champion shares her journey through cancer to inspire others

This September, during Childhood Cancer Awareness Month, Bedfordshire teen Tegan Ridley is bravely sharing her emotional journey through cancer to help more young people survive and thrive.

A lifelong athlete, Tegan began dancing at age 3 before moving into gymnastics and eventually cheerleading. Her talent and dedication took her around the world, competing in international cheerleading events across America, Portugal, Spain, and Canada. She came fourth at the World Cheerleading Championships before her cheerleading career was dramatically cut short when, aged 15, she was diagnosed with late-stage Hodgkin lymphoma.

Tegan was competing at a national event when she suddenly felt dizzy and collapsed. After a series of tests, doctors diagnosed her withlate-stage Hodgkin lymphoma, a cancer that had spread throughout her chest, heart, spleen, and lymph nodes. “I didn’t know how to react,” Tegan recalls. “I was terrified. I had college, cheerleading and I didn’t know how everything was going to go. I was scared of losing my hair, scared of the unknown. But I had to stay positive. It was treatable.”

Her diagnosis came as a devastating shock to her family. She underwentsix rounds of chemotherapy, which included drugs Cancer Research UK scientists helped bring to people with cancer -cyclophosphamide and dacarbazine, that stop cancer cells from growing by damaging their instructions for dividing, causing them to die.

Thanks to advances in chemotherapy and radiotherapy, supported by Cancer Research UK, survival rates for Hodgkin lymphoma have significantly improved. Today, nearly all children diagnosed with this type of cancer in the UK survive.*

Tegan said one of the most emotional moments came during her second round of treatment. “I was in my room with a friend when I noticed my hair was coming out,” she said. “It was such a strange sensation — I ran my fingers through my hair, and it just fell out. I didn’t pull it; it just came away. I was really upset but I put on a brave face. It was only when I was alone or late at night that I let my true feelings show. Cancer is scary and can feel like a lonely journey at times, but you can get through it.”

In a heart-breaking yet inspiring video, the teenager, from Potton, documents her diagnosis and treatment to encourage other children facing similar battles. When Tegan showed her mum the video of her hair falling out they both cried, and that night shaved her head together.

Tegan’s parents, Debbie and Phil Ridley—both scientists—understand the importance of advancing life-saving research. With Tegan now one year in remission, they’re determined to raise awareness and funds to help others.

Debbie (49) said: “No one expects to hear those terrible words, ‘Your child has cancer.’ Tegan's diagnosis turned our world upside down. But she’s coped with her treatment with unbelievable courage and strength, and now she's back competing again at the highest level.”

Phil (54), a lab technician at the Cancer Research UK Cambridge Centre, added: “I support scientists working on brain, pancreatic, and children's cancers, so I understand the importance of research. Thanks to improvements in treatment, we’ve been able to enjoy many more precious moments with Tegan that once felt impossible.”

The Cambridge Centre is a network of leading scientists and doctors from the University of Cambridge, Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, and organisations like the Wellcome Sanger Institute. It specialises in breast, ovarian, and prostate cancer, as well as hard-to-treat cancers including brain tumours and oesophageal cancer. It also houses the Children’s Brain Tumour Centre of Excellence, which is transforming treatment development for paediatric brain tumours.

Tegan is now fully recovered and continues to coach, study, and compete internationally. Grateful for the care she received, the Ridley family is urging people across the country to support Cancer Research UK by donating or picking up a gold ribbon badge—the symbol of childhood cancer awareness—available in Cancer Research UK shops.

Debbie added: “With around 380 new cancer cases in children and young people like Tegan in the East of England every year. ** I hope people will do what they can to show their support.”

Cancer Research UK has helped more than double children’s cancer survival rates in the UK since the 1970s. Today, more than 8 in 10 children and young people diagnosed with cancer survive for at least 10 years—but there’s still much further to go.***

Patrick Keely, Cancer Research UK spokesperson for Bedfordshire, said: “Cancer is different in children and young people—from the types of cancer that affect them to the long-term effects of treatment like hearing loss and infertility. It needs a dedicated approach, and we’re grateful to our supporters for making that possible.

"Thanks to their generosity, our scientists are unlocking discoveries about these cancers and translating them into new and better ways to diagnose and treat them. But despite huge advances, too many young lives are still lost to the disease — more than one each day in the UK.**** That’s why we need as many people as possible to get behind our mission to ensure more children and young people like Tegan live longer, better lives free from the fear of cancer.”

Pick up a gold ribbon badge in Cancer Research UK shops or donate at cruk.org/childrenandyoungpeople