Three days after Emily’s 19th birthday, she received the devastating news that she had stage 3 malignant melanoma, one of the most serious forms of skin cancer. She was given less than a 59 percent chance of surviving the next five years. In a state of shock, she felt her only options were fight or flight – to face her diagnosis head-on or to live in fear – and she chose to fight.
AYA
When a co-worker reveals that they are battling cancer, it can be difficult to know what to say or how to act.
There is a lack of expectation that young adults get cancer, yet it is the number one cause of disease-related death in this age group.
During your teenage years, physical changes are a part of normal development. You may notice a difference in the way your body looks, feels and performs. But for teen cancer survivors, these changes are especially difficult.