Many adolescent and young adult cancer patients get lost in the health care system due to multiple barriers as they transition to the survivorship phase. They may have been treated in the pediatric setting and are “aging out” or they may have challenges with insurance coverage. Also, having access to providers that have expertise in the specific risks for late effects due to aggressive cancers treatment are often limited.
The Adolescent & Young Adult (AYA) Survivorship Program is a unique collaboration between the Jonathan Jaques Children’s Cancer Institute at Miller Children’s & Women’s Hospital Long Beach and the MemorialCare Todd Cancer Institute at Long Beach Medical Center.
Patients that receive care in this program receive a survivorship plan to support them through their late effects. Patients are seen by a multi-disciplinary team including a pediatric and adult oncologists, nurse practitioner and social worker during their follow-up appointments. If they develop a secondary cancer, they have immediate access to a team who meets regularly to discuss their care.
This program assists patients by offering research trials that can address specific treatments and cancer survivorship care for adolescent and young adults. In addition, the team provides the critical resources for psychosocial support, including emotional support, school re-integration, work-place issues faced by cancer survivors.
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