Our vision
A world where no young person with cancer falls through the gap between children's and adult care.
Digital health for young people living with a brain tumour
Too old for paediatrics.
Too old for paediatrics.
Too young for adult care.
SABRAIN is a digital companion that helps young people understand their treatment, track symptoms and mood, and find calm and support from others who have been there. Shaped by the real stories of young people.
Built from 36 young people's stories
Clinical input from the NHS
SUS usability score 78.2
Built in Scotland
Why we exist
Our mission
We build digital support shaped by young people's lived experience, starting with those living with a brain tumour.
The scale
An estimated
1.3 million
young people aged 15–39 are diagnosed with cancer every year worldwide.
Live estimate
So far today, an estimated
0
young people aged 15–39 have been diagnosed with cancer worldwide.
Estimate based on 1,300,196 new cancer cases (excluding non-melanoma skin cancer) in people aged 15–39 in 2022, about one every 24 seconds. Source: Hughes et al., The Lancet Oncology, 2024.
The problem
A brain tumour at 19 doesn't fit neatly into any service.
Young people are diagnosed just as they're finishing school, starting university or their first job. Care is organised around children or around adults, and the life in between often goes unsupported.
Caught between services
Moving from paediatric to adult care can mean new teams, new routines and lost continuity at the hardest moment.
Long gaps between appointments
Follow-up can be months apart. Symptoms, worries and questions build up with nowhere to put them.
A whole life on pause
Study, work, friendships and identity are all shifting at once, and tools designed for older patients rarely speak to that.
The platform
Support that fits a young person's life.
SABRAIN is at prototype stage. We're clear about what exists today and what comes next.
Six modules in the prototype
My treatment plan
Plain-language guides to surgery, chemotherapy, radiotherapy and medication, including the side effects that can come up.
Symptom and mood tracking
Log fatigue, pain, nausea or hormonal changes, check in on your mood and see how things change over time.
Reminders
Keep on top of medication and appointments without having to remember everything.
Calm space
Guided meditations and relaxation for anxious moments, with an optional spiritual corner.
Food and energy
Simple nutrition guidance to help keep your energy up during treatment.
Stories and support
Stories from young people who have been there, with content warnings before anything difficult.
Next steps
Co-design with young people, then a clinical pilot
Next, we will run co-design sessions with young people living with or after a brain tumour, followed by a pilot under NHS governance.
78.2 / 100 SUS
System Usability Scale score from 13 young adults aged 18–24 without cancer, above the industry average of 68. Testing with young people affected by a brain tumour is the next step.
Team
Built from clinical experience and lived stories.
Founder
Yazmin Cáceres
Over 12 years in public health and dietetics, including domiciliary palliative care and directing a health centre. MSc in Digital Health Systems (University of Strathclyde). SABRAIN began with a friend from university who was diagnosed with a brain tumour at 23.
Our advisors
Consultant oncologistNHS Scotland · Clinical
Digital health academicUniversity of Strathclyde · Research
Medtech co-founderBrain cancer diagnostics · Commercial scale-up
Healthcare CEOClinical operations · Research partnerships
Supported by
University of Strathclyde
University of Edinburgh Venture Builder Incubator
Cancer Research Horizons
The Brain Tumour Charity
Converge — finalist 2026
Scottish EDGE — Wild Card finalist
Get involved
Help us shape what comes next.
Young people and familiesTell us what would actually help. Your experience shapes every feature.
Clinicians and nursesJoin our clinical conversations and future evaluation.
Charities and researchersPartner with us to reach and support more young people.
Investors and partnersTalk to us about backing the next stage.