Advocacy and adolescent/young adult cancer survivors

Abstract

Strong advocacy efforts are vital to ensuring that the unique medical, psychosocial, support and educational needs of teenagers/adolescents and young adults living with cancer are met. Advocacy groups can help bring individuals interested in change together, and provide coordinated education and support services as well as policy analysis and response. Recent improvements in services and treatment indicate the success of organised and professional advocacy in addressing the needs of teenage/adolescent and young adult survivors. The advocacy community can continue to make great advances by joining together to support worldwide recognition of the unique needs of this population, the development of specialist facilities for teenagers/adolescents and young adults, increased awareness of cancer in this population to combat delayed diagnosis and improve access and quality of care, and alleviating the challenges of working with a multidisciplinary health care team. © 2008 Wiley-Liss, Inc.