From Monday 23rd February, the Blood Cancer UK Online Community Forum will be for adults aged 18 and over only.
This change brings us in line with our legal obligations under the UK Online Safety Act and reflects best practice across health support communities. It also means we can continue to provide a safe, open space where adults affected by blood cancer can speak freely about their experiences - including the more difficult ones.
If you are currently a member of the Forum and are under 18, please refer to our newly-published signposting post for support services that are better suited to you, and contact us at support@bloodcancer.org.uk for further support on what to do about your forum account. We will also be reaching out to any accounts we identify as belonging to those aged under 18.
If you’re already a member aged 18 or over, nothing changes for you. You can continue to access and use the Forum as normal. As of 23/02/2026, new Forum members will be asked to confirm they meet this age requirement when signing up.
But if you come across a post or profile and have reason to believe the person may be under 18, please use the Flag function to let us know. You can flag any post by clicking the flag icon beneath it and selecting “Something Else”, then noting your concern in the box provided. Our moderation team will look into it promptly. You don’t need to be certain - if something doesn’t feel right, flagging it is always the right thing to do.
You can also link others on the Forum who are supporting under 18s themselves to the new under 18s resource list post.
And please do remember that whatever your situation or age, our Blood Cancer UK Support Line (0808 2080 888, Option 1) and email (support@bloodcancer.org.uk) are available to anyone affected by blood cancer, including young people under 18.
Thank you and take care,
The Blood Cancer UK Staff Team