A young person smiling at the camera while two people pose for selfies on either side of them

The Ultimate Backstage Experience

A unique event for young people who’ve had cancer to get together and enjoy one of our iconic gigs at the Royal Albert Hall in March 2025 for free.

About the event

At the Ultimate Backstage Experience, we’ll welcome you and members of your clinical team to London’s famous Royal Albert Hall, a stunning venue with a unique history and atmosphere.

You’ll get to spend time with your clinical team as well as young people who’ve also had cancer from your region and get to know them throughout the afternoon.

Together you’ll get the chance to enjoy a workshop with the talented Royal Albert Hall team, have a behind the scenes tour of the Hall (you might even be lucky enough to hear an artist in soundcheck), as well as dinner backstage before the show.

You’ll then take your place in some of the best seats in the house – in an exclusive area near the stage – to watch the gig in style.

We’ll cover your travel and accommodation costs including a coach back to the hotel at the end of the night. The next day you will have free time to enjoy London with members of your clinical team from your region.

Places for this unique opportunity are limited. Details of who can apply are below.

When is it?

The Ultimate Backstage Experience will take place from Monday 24th March to Sunday 30th March 2025. You can find the poster here:

The lineup is yet to be announced, so keep your eye out, but the night you attend is already determined based on your region. The experience is more than seeing the gig, so don’t worry about who you are seeing on the night.

Who can register to attend?

You can apply to the Ultimate Backstage Experience if you:

  • Were diagnosed with cancer between the ages of 13 and 24, (or were still on active treatment on or after your 13th birthday).
  • Will be between the ages of 13 and 27 on 24 March 2025.
  • Have been treated in the UK.

You must also either:

  • Have finished active cancer treatment during or after March 2023; OR
  • Currently be on maintenance treatment (but active in school or work); OR
  • Have had a bone marrow or stem cell transplant between March 2022 and March 2024 and not be on active treatment.

You will also need to:

  • Check with your clinical team that you are well enough to travel to/from London and spend a day at the Royal Albert Hall at an indoor gig with five thousand people.
  • Be confident to manage any medication that you might require as this will be your responsibility.
  • Be comfortable that this is a long two days, so you must have energy to be able to navigate London with your group and Youth Support Coordinator as well as enjoy yourself!

This opportunity is not suitable for anyone who is severely immunosuppressed and has been advised to avoid enclosed crowded spaces. There is no medical team at this event, so you must be confident that you will not require one.

How do I apply?

To apply you need to contact your Youth Support Coordinator in your region. If you are eligible to attend your Youth Support Coordinator will send you a registration form to complete.

What happens next?

Once you have completed the registration form and submitted it, we’ll contact your Youth Support Coordinator to confirm you have applied, and if you are eligible to attend, they will confirm your place.

Each person who gets a place will only be able to attend one night of the Ultimate Backstage Experience. Each night is allocated specifically by region, so unfortunately you cannot request to attend a different night.

Frequently asked questions

Please find answers to some of our most frequently asked questions about the Ultimate Backstage Experience below. 

What are the behavioural criteria?

All young people, facilitators, Teenage Cancer Trust staff and venue staff have the right to be treated with respect and protected from harm wherever possible. As organisers of the Ultimate Backstage Experience, we want you to get the most out of the event.

When registering, all participants have agreed the below behaviour criteria in order to provide a safe environment for everyone during the event.

Requirements when attending the Ultimate Backstage Experience:

  • You have been invited to the event as a representative of Teenage Cancer Trust and therefore there is a need for you to act sensibly and behave responsibly and respectfully, at all times.
  • We ask that you comply with all reasonable requests for safety and event management from Teenage Cancer Trust staff.
  • You should show respect for each other and to all staff.
  • If you are using cameras or social media during your time at the event, you are mindful of how this might impact others. We ask that you obtain permission from others before taking photographs of them or sharing across internet platforms.
  • Teenage Cancer Trust actively discourages smoking and vaping. It is not allowed anywhere on site.

The following behaviours are not acceptable:

  • Teenage Cancer Trust will not tolerate bullying, intimidation or harassment in any form. You will not behave or act in any way that has the potential to cause harm or distress to others – this includes ableism, homophobia, transphobia, racism, sexism or any other behaviour which goes against our aim of creating and inclusive event.
  • Verbal or physical intimidation or aggression is also something that will not be tolerated.
  • Teenage Cancer Trust do not support the use of illegal substances or recreational drugs. You will be asked to leave the event, should it be thought you are under the influence of either of these things.
  • Teenage Cancer Trust aim to create a safe environment and therefore you  must not behave in a way that is considered a health and safety risk, to yourself or others.
  • You will not steal or deliberately damage equipment or property.

Failure to follow these criteria may result in being asked to leave the event and you may not be permitted to attend future Teenage Cancer Trust events. Any behaviour that is illegal may result in the Police being called.

If you experience or witness any of this behaviour at the event you can raise a concern or complaint to your Youth Support Co-ordinator or the UBE Safeguarding lead who will be at the event.

We want all young people attending the event to feel safe and respected. Thank you for your cooperation.

This event is very kindly sponsored by our partner Domino’s pizza, who have been helping us bring young people with cancer together since 2015.

We have also received generous gift in kind support from the Royal Albert Hall engagement team to run this event.

Domino's Official Sponsor of the Ultimate Backstage Experience