AYA Cancer Awareness Week

The global AYA cancer awareness week is from April 1 to 5, 2024. This week, we will share different patient stories in hopes of increasing the understanding of AYA cancers.

Adolescents and Young Adults (AYAs) Cancers represents the age group between 15 and 39, and it is a topic that has attracted global discussion. According to international statistics, in 2019, there were nearly 1,200,000 new cases, with almost 400,000 deaths. It has the second-highest deaths for non-infectious diseases (Wen et al. 2019).

Different from children's cancer and older cancer patients, the needs of AYA cancer patients are more unique. In the midst of studying pressure, career development, social status, fertility issues, and more, this age group deals with unique life challenges. Given these complex physical and emotional needs, it is worthwhile for society to provide them with sufficient resources.

Apart from that, AYA patients often face late diagnosis or misdiagnosis. It is commonly viewed that it is "rare" for young people to be diagnosed with cancer. Hence, AYA patients are deprived of better support compared to other age groups, for example, timely diagnosis, physical and emotional support during treatment, and rehabilitation support.

Patient Stories

Each cancer patient briefly described their cancer-fighting journey in just a few sentences. Although the few lines of text may seem simple, they contain the indescribable story of each person’s joy, sadness, and worry. The road to fighting cancer is long, but through theese stories, we can learn that despite this road is long, we need mutual support and care for each other along the way.

We sincerely invite all teenage cancer patients, survivors, caregivers, and medical and social workers to share their stories about AYA cancer. These stories will be published on our social media channels.

Story Submissions: https://tr.ee/IVle61nK-R

Stars of Life - Mutual Support Platform

Launched in September 2022, Stars of Life, the Youth Cancer mutual support platform is built in the power of companionship. The platform aims to provide a space for cancer patients and survivors to support each other and amplify their voices. It allows patients/ recovered patients to share their own experiences, cancer-related information, and help fellow companions go through the journey together. We believe that with you and me side-by-side, walking together, we will never be alone.

Link to Join: https://tr.ee/g39_c-pe9o