Dr. Rokitka is the newly appointed Director of the Young Adult Program and Oncofertility Program, and for years she has quietly helped many of our cancer survivors plan and finance the process of starting a family.
"There's a lot of evidence that for someone who's overweight, losing even a small amount — five pounds, 10 pounds — can reduce the chances that they'll be diagnosed with cancer."
As a Stage IV oral cancer survivor, I am very passionate about spreading awareness. Oral, head and neck cancers are profoundly different than other cancers in that they limit one’s ability to swallow, eat and talk.
The National Cancer Institute warns that obesity "may worsen several aspects of cancer survivorship, including quality of life, cancer recurrence, cancer progression and prognosis."
Every April, Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center works to raise awareness about cancer among minority populations by recognizing National Minority Cancer Awareness Week, celebrated this year April 8-14, 2019.
“While the side effects were very challenging for me to manage, the care I got at Roswell was unbelievable. Everybody, from doctors and nurses to cleaning staff, made me feel so valued and cared for during that difficult time.”
For most young adults, their 20s and 30s are for graduations, starting careers or families – not for fighting cancer. Having cancer as a young adult is never on anyone’s five-year plan. If you’ve been diagnosed with cancer in your 20s or 30s, we know you probably feel overwhelmed and have a lot of questions.