Friday 18 September 2026 is Youth Mental Health Day. And this year, the charity stem4 has chosen the theme #BuildFutureYou.
It’s a reminder that, even if the future might feel uncertain, there are still small steps you can take towards it. It’s about looking after your wellbeing, exploring what matters to you, asking for support when you need it – and making space for things that make you feel good!
For any young person, a cardiomyopathy diagnosis can be a lot to cope with alongside the usual pressures of education, work and relationships. So this Youth Mental Health Day, we're sharing three ways young people affected by the condition can build their future self, in their own time and in their own way.
1. Get support if you need it
A diagnosis can take a real emotional toll, alongside everything else you're already juggling as a young person.
That's why we created our Youth Hub, a dedicated space for young people living with cardiomyopathy. It brings together information about living well, real stories from other young people, and ways to connect with others who understand.
Building your future doesn't mean having everything figured out. Sometimes it starts with finding your own way to adjust, looking after your mental health, and moving towards what's important to you.
2. Find people who understand
Sometimes what helps most isn't information, but knowing someone else has been there.
Our Heart to Heart network offers free, confidential one-to-one peer support, matching you with a trained volunteer who has their own experience of cardiomyopathy.
You can ask for peer support whenever you need it – and, if and when you're ready, you could think about offering peer support to other young people in your situation.
3. Help build the future for someone else
#BuildFutureYou doesn't only have to mean working on yourself. Building confidence, purpose and connection can also come through contributing to something bigger.
Our Youth Advisory Board and Heart to Heart network offer two ways you can volunteer with Cardiomyopathy UK.
- Have a voice: Help shape Cardiomyopathy UK's future services by joining our Youth Advisory Board.
- Use your experience: Become a Heart to Heart volunteer and use what you've learned to support another young person. You don't need previous experience – we provide full training and ongoing support. Your experience could make a difference to someone else.
One step at a time
Remember that you don't need to have everything figured out right now.
#BuildFutureYou can start with something small: finding information that helps, talking to someone who understands or sharing your experience. And if you're a young person affected by cardiomyopathy, Cardiomyopathy UK is here to help.
Visit our Youth Hub to find out more, or call our specialist nurses on 0800 018 1024 (8.30am–4.30pm, Monday to Friday).