Young adults who have experienced cancer

Hello,

I am Ian, and I am 34, too old for the research that you are doing, but if you want any help I would try to help. I had a brain tumour whilst teaching English in China at the age of 33. I am okay, at the moment as I am recovering. although many hops to go through from here I do not doubt.

I do hope that the PhD is going well, I am working on a Masters in the Sociology of Sport at the moment and I need to complete my dissertation this year too.

Good luck, with your studies, and if I can help just ask,

Ian

Hi Morven

I was diagnosed with grade 4 brain cancer 2 weeks before my 30th birthday - not quite the present i was hoping for!

I would love to help in any way possible with your project, although i am no where near your neck of the woods. I have commented to the hospital and others on here how isolating it is being a young adult with cancer. It feels like all the other patients when u visit the hospital are old and there seems to be plenty of information and support for children and teenagers with cancer.

If i can be of any assisstance please please let me know.

Good luck with the project

Claire x

Hi,

I was diagnosed with Leukaemia in February 2008 at the age of 27 and I'm currently receiving treatment. I agree that we fall out of the teenage bracket and support for young adults is limited. At my hospital the staff made sure we (the young 'uns) were introduced to each other as most of the other patients are a lot older.

I live in Bradford so I'm not very close (!) but if you would like any more information please feel free to contact me. I'm more than happy to help.

Good luck with your studies,

Jennie

Hello Morven,
I was diagnosed with rectal cancer at the age of 25. I successfully made it through radiation, chemo, surgery and all that goae along with that. In this past June 2008 I was diagnosed again with rectal cancer in my left lung. I just turned 29 and I feel like I am lost between being a child still and an older adult. My dictors have treated me wonderfully but is very difficult at time when I go in for treatment an everyone around me is in their late 50's and higher. It is wondeful to see them fighting the fight but I do feel alone. It doesn't make it any easier when I do talk to some of the other patients and they remind me of how unfair this is for someone my age. In reality it is unfair for anyone at any age.

I do not live anywhere near you-as I am located in the United states, but if you have any questions or just want to chat feel free to give me a message.

Hi Morven

My name is Louise, and I was diagnosed with Non Hodgkins Lymphoma in February 2008, aged 28. I have finished chemotherapy, and am just awaiting a decision as to whether or not I need a PET scan and possibly radiotherapy, as there is still some lymph mass left in my chest, although it could be scar tissue.

Like everyone else, I feel there is a lack of support for young adults, although with the unit where I am treated, they do try, although they dont seem to encourage their 'young' patients to get together/network for support etc.I am happy to help you with your project, so feel free to contact me.

Louise

Hi,
I am 23 and I was diagnosed with Osteosarcoma (bone cancer) at the age of 21. The hospital I was treated at only had a teenage ward or an adult ward, and of course the priority went to the younger teenagers to be put on the teenage ward, so I spent all my time on the adult ward. Although I was made very welcome on the teenage ward and could visit anytime and had contact with the activities coordinator so I could enjoy all the special treats of a teenage ward too. I was treated at Leeds and last Christmas they opened a new cancer centre which has a young persons unit (YPU) there, I had my last chemo treatment on that ward and what a difference it made! There were people my age (although no girls) and a huge lounge and tv etc which made me want to get up and be with the others instead of sitting in my bed all the time. I feel as if I had this unit throughout my treatment I would have been a lot more encouraged and active. I helped out another student just after my treatment and she was doing a similar dissertation. So I would love to help, and I think its great your focusing on a topic like this. I am from near Halifax so I'm nowhere near you really, but feel free to get in touch if I can help.
Take care,
Katie.

Hello morven,
I am in Australia....so no where near you I know but just wanted to tell you that I was diagnosed at 29 with stage 4 bowel cancer. The biggest issue we faced I feel was care for my children when going through treatment, money issues and the cost of scans and specialists etc which are obviously essential and not all of them are covered by private health insurance, and then my husband getting time off work, he only has limited number of "sick days". I don't know if that is of any help.
Cheers
Michele xx

Hi Morven I was diagnosed with hodgkins at 25.Unfortunatly at 37 it has returned and is more widespread than originally and i am now about too start 6 months of chemo.However you do feel a bit isolated as a young adult cause all the other cancer pt's you come across are older.I was never admitted as a pt originally but even going too radiotherapy and clinic appointments everyone looks older and it somehow makes you feel worse.

Hi Morven

I'm in Ireland and have just been diagnosed and have started treatment
for AML.

Regarding falling between the cracks as it were with respect to age.
This has been my main thought so far...everyone around me in the ward
is like a clear 30 or 40 years older than me.

@Pretty - "Isolating" is exactly the word I used to describe the
situation today.

@JennieG - Having an introduction to all the other young 'uns sounds like a great idea, I don't think it would be much of a gathering in my hospital. Today was the first day I found someone (outpatient) who had gone through something similar under the age of forty.

I'm new to this site and in fact just reading this forum has made
me realise I'm not the only one (It can feel like that sometimes)

So...nice to meet you all

Seán

Hi Morven,
I'm 27 year old diagnosed with chronic myeloid leukaemia in 2004, aged 23! I agree it alienating, especially when your told the type of cancer you have is usually restricted to men over the age of 60!!!
Ah well i always did like to be different :D 4 years on i have managed to have my beautifull daughter and am in my finalk year of Uni. Also got into remission last summer. so at the minute life is good..

I'm in Ireland so noty close to you but would love to help you if i can..

Good luck

Hi. I know this topic hasn't been active for a while, and I guess by now you have all the research info you need Morven! But have only just found this topic, and really relate to a lot of the stuff said here. I was first diagnosed at 24, I'm now 27 and still having treatment, and am constantly aware of my age. On one hand it's great that I don't get to meet other people in a similar situation because I wouldn't wish it on anyone! But from a more selfish point of view, it would be great to be in touch with people who are too old to be counted as kids, but still have an average of a 25-year age gap between themselves and the rest of the patients on their ward. I'd love to hear from anyone out there who knows where I'm coming from. Hugs to you all! XXX