For play: Ongoing
You Can Stay is a national accommodation program established by Sony Foundation in 2020 to provide free and uncapped accommodation for regional youth cancer patients, aged 15 – 29 years, and their families, while undergoing life-saving cancer treatment in metropolitan city hospitals.
A cancer diagnosis is overwhelming for any young person, but for those living far from specialist care, the additional burden of relocating, often for many months, is not only emotionally challenging but financially devastating. Hotel costs, rent, transport, and time away from work or study, place enormous pressure on families already dealing with the trauma of illness.
You Can Stay removes this burden by offering fully funded accommodation close to treating hospitals in major cities. Patients and families can access self-contained accommodation, through Sony Foundation’s national partner Quest Apartment Hotels. This provides the comfort of a home-away-from-home during one of the most difficult times of their lives.
You Can Stay ensures that where a young person lives does not impact their ability to receive timely age-appropriate and specialised cancer treatment. Since launching in 2020, You Can Stay has provided tens of thousands of nights of accommodation and continues to grow in reach and impact. This program is fully funded by Sony Foundation and its generous supporters, ensuring no cost to families at any time.