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Life, Interrupted

Facing cancer at the height of life

Fewer than 4 percent of newly diagnosed cancers are found in patients between the ages of 15 and 39, according to the Centers for Disease Control. Although cases of cancer in young people are relatively few, the issues these patients face are distinct-and many. They may linger for years after diagnosis as well.

Thanks to Web sites like Planet Cancer and books like Crazy, Sexy Cancer Tips, young people are connecting, writing a new storyline for a different kind of cancer experience. Hear for yourself how young patients here at the U-M Cancer Center are working through the aftermath of diagnosis. We've assembled an array of podcasts as well as links to resources to help you find better ways to connect to other people coping with cancer early in life.

Read the full Thrive story.

The U-M Young Adult Support Group

Connecting with other young people with cancer is vital because older people with cancer don't view it the same way, and younger people without cancer don't get it. Eighteen years ago, Jane Deering, a Cancer Center social worker, started a support group for young adults after noticing some of her Hodgkin's disease patients were uncomfortable talking to friends their own age who hadn't had cancer. The group has been going strong ever since.

CALL -- The Young Adult Support Group meets the first Tuesday of each month. For more information, call Jane Deering at 734-764-3115.

 

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University of Michigan Comprehensive Cancer Center
1500 East Medical Center Drive
Ann Arbor, MI 48109

This site is part of the U-M Health System. The information presented is not a tool for self diagnosis or a substitute for professional care. © 2008 U-M Comprehensive Cancer Center