Why young adults with cancer have distinct needs
Frangakis and her husband Steve are headed to a conference in Nova Scotia that starts on Thursday hosted by Young Adult Cancer Canada (YACC) that aims to bring people going through similar situations together. There’s a growing realization that traditional methods of dealing with cancer are not working for the 15-29 age group, who account for 1.5 per cent of all new cancer cases and less than 1 per cent of cancer-related deaths in Canada. Typically sent to either pediatric or adult oncology centres, they’re not getting the specialized treatment they require. Young adults diagnosed with cancer have distinct issues; they’re at an age where they’re making life decisions related to children, careers and finances.