Needs

Adolescents with cancer face unique challenges requiring unique solutions:

• Physical changes and /or disfigurement when appearance is a top concern.
• Loss of peer group and acceptance when inclusion is a primary need.
• Unsolicited dependence at a time of newfound independence.
• Loss of control when new boundaries are just being tested.

Not yet adults and no longer children, teens are often caught in a health care void – somewhere between the juvenile décor of a pediatric hospital and the quiet, harsh reality of an adult clinic.  They fit neatly into neither.

 

Facts about Teen Cancer

• Each year in the United States, approximately 12,000 young people between the ages of 13 and 24 are diagnosed with cancer.
• With average treatment of 2 years, over 20,000 promising lives are put on hold each year.
• Three times more people are diagnosed with cancer within the second 15 years of life than in the first 15 years.
• Survival rates for teens and young adults have shown little improvement since 1975 as compared to other age groups.
• The mortality rate from cancer peaks between the ages of 15 and 25 years.
• Many teens with cancer face an increased risk of secondary cancer and serious health issues as a result of their treatment.
• Cancer is a very isolating experience for teens who often lose the support of their peer group.

No longer children but not yet adults, teens fall into a serious gap in healthcare services.

WE MUST DO MORE!