Support for Adolescents and Young Adults
Here are some resources to support adolescents, teens, and young adults through their cancer journey and beyond.
Bite Me Cancer provides care packages to teenagers with cancer to offer inspiration and support.
The Boon Project is a South Carolina-based organization that provides free, year-round programs for young adults diagnosed with cancer. Programs include the Courage Club, Fitness Force, and Patient Support.
This organization aims to support adolescent and young adult cancer patients by providing tools to ensure patients feel connected and supported throughout treatment. The “B-there” program eases communication between patients, friends, and families about needs and support.
The Cactus Cancer Society provides a safe place where young adults (ages 18-45) facing cancer can connect, cope and thrive with one another in an online community through creativity and expression. The vision is to end isolation among young adults facing cancer.
The Dear Jack Foundation offers hope and support to young adult patients, survivors, and caregivers coping with a life-threatening cancer diagnosis. The Breathe Now program utilizes the tools of yoga, meditation, and therapeutic conversations to heal the mind and body and restore relationships between survivors and their partners after cancer treatment. The Dear Jack Foundation also offers wish granting and community connection opportunities and provides mental health resources to help support young adults during and after cancer treatment.
Elephants and Tea is the only cancer magazine targeted towards adolescents and young adults. Digital Issues are produced nearly every month and cover various survivorship topics.
The Expect Miracles Foundation SAMfund offers much-needed resources for young adult cancer survivors. The foundation offers support, scholarships, financial assistance, and family-building grants.
Noah’s Gift Grants provide extraordinary experiences to deserving teens 13-19. These gifts are made for teens who dream of an extraordinary experience. It encourages applicants to be creative and to explore opportunities or goals they might not otherwise have had the means to achieve. Applicants are encouraged to explore educational opportunities not covered by scholarships or financial aid, such as study abroad or dues required for participation in service organizations.
Stupid Cancer’s mission is to connect adolescent and young adult communities to end isolation and empower those affected by cancer. Stupid Cancer provides monthly Webinars and video series about exercise, mental health, relationships, and more.
TCA strives to improve the lives of AYA cancer patients by improving hospitals to fit their needs better. TCA also produced the documentary Cancer Rebellion, which offers insights into the challenges faced by teen cancer survivors and their overcoming spirits.
TCA also offers the Play It Back music program, which allows participants to learn the art of songwriting and production as a means of expression. This process gives participants the complete recording-artist experience.
The Ulman Foundation’s Patient Navigators can help adolescents and young adults manage the return to school, connections with peers, health and wellness, scholarships, communication with medical teams, and individual or family counseling.