December Member Meeting

This month, we had the privilege of hearing from a young colon cancer survivor, a member of Youth Cancer Europe and Digestive Cancers Europe, whose story opened a window into the conversations young adults and adolescents (AYAs) have amongst themselves. These are conversations that often don’t reach clinic rooms, policy tables, or formal reports.

For young people, cancer does not arrive at a stable point in life. It collides with identity formation, independence, relationships, fertility, career beginnings, and a future that is still being imagined.

What came through powerfully in this conversation was that the psychological impact of cancer at a young age is not just about fear of illness or death. It is about disruption, the sudden loss of certainty, control, and the freedom to plan without caveats.

Many AYAs describe feeling invisible within systems designed primarily for older adults with cancer. They are too old for pediatric spaces and too young to be fully understood in adult oncology settings. As a result, their emotional needs often fall through the cracks.

Our systems, policies, and practices must learn how to meet them where they are.

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Our next meeting will be on January 21st at 11 PM UTC. We hope you’ll join us!

To subscribe to the calendar of future meetings or to watch the recordings of past meetings, visit the GCCA Member Portal. The password is available in our latest member newsletter, or you can email jenn@globalcca.org for access.

Interested in becoming a member? Learn more and apply now.

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