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Adolescent and Young Adult (AYA) Cancer Program

Call us (352) 265-6304 Questions? Contact a trial coordinator

Who we are. Why we care.

Cancer is the most common cause of death in adolescents and young adults (AYAs) ages 15-45 years with approximately 80,000 individuals within this demographic being diagnosed annually. For treatment to be successful, extraordinary collaboration involving multiple scientific disciplines and medical specialties is required. Tragically, decreased access to specialized care, limited opportunities to participate in clinical trials, inconsistency in referral patterns, variation in treatment protocols and limited psychosocial resources are primary contributors to the poor outcomes associated with young adult cancer patients.

The UF Health Adolescent and Young Adult Cancer Program addresses the compelling and unique medical and psychosocial needs of our adolescent and young adult patients — from diagnosis to survivorship.

This includes:

  • Fertility preservation counseling
  • Age-appropriate distress screening
  • Psychological support
  • Career/vocational resources
  • Family-building options in survivorship
  • Increasing access to clinical trial participation
  • Multidisciplinary care

With this support, the UF Health AYA Cancer Program hopes to help break down the barriers to effective treatment commonly experienced by this distinct population, giving each person the best chance at beating his or her disease.

The Marshal Fisher Adolescent and Young Adult (AYA) Cancer Fund is named after cancer patient Marshal Robert Fisher, age 17, who passed away on May 14, 2018, after a four-year struggle with a form of bone cancer called osteosarcoma. He had an abiding interest in nature, was an imaginative artist, creator and builder, and enjoyed being active. The fund supports creating and growing an AYA program that serves children and young adults like Marshal in a variety of ways including: activities, education, psychosocial evaluation and support, financial assistance, fertility counseling, tools to assist survivorship and more.

Coping with cancer

When children or their loved ones are diagnosed with cancer, there are psychological, social, emotional, and spiritual challenges that may arise. Our licensed clinical social workers and other professionals work together to help overcome these hurdles and help patients and their families establish and maintain a “new normal” way of living through this adolescent and young adult program.

These social workers and medical professionals are educated and skilled in assisting every AYA and their loved ones from the moment of diagnosis through the end of treatment, whether survivorship or palliative care. We have expert staff in both pediatric and adult sectors that offer a wealth of supportive services.

Program objectives

Psychosocial support

  • Comprehensive psychosocial assessment (mood, coping, social support, family/work/school environment) and counseling at diagnosis, throughout cancer treatment, and into survivorship
  • Enhance patient and caregiver education by connecting to resources focused on how cancer may impact employment, education, social functioning, sexual health and mental health
  • Support AYA patients transitioning back to school or the workforce
  • Offer guidance on navigating financial and legal hurdles by referring to helpful resources, scholarships and funding support
  • Connect with peer support groups (Child Life Program and Certified Child Life Specialists (CCLS), Streetlight, Arts in Medicine, other AYAs) during and after therapy

Health insurance counseling

  • Provide insurance education to help prevent lapses in health insurance
  • Provides advocacy to patients facing health insurance denials
  • Provides insurance resources focused on providing answers to frequently asked questions and connecting patients to support communities

Fertility counseling

  • All AYA patients will receive fertility preservation counseling and resources in conjunction with UF Reproductive Endocrinology Institute prior to starting cancer treatment
  • Confirms patient clearly understands the potential effects of treatment on their future fertility (and if not, educates them on where to access this information)
  • Provides patient with fertility resources (financial, educational, support groups)

Clinical trial education and enrollment

  • Participate in which Some AYA patients may be eligible for enrollment in active screening of local and national clinical trials to provide further access to treatment and improve future AYA patient health outcomes

Palliative care focused on needs of AYA population

  • Assist pediatric patients who transition to adult cancer care
  • Assist with obtaining Advanced Directives

Survivorship

  • Continue to provide support and coordinate the transition into a Long-Term Survivorship Program

Contact Alexis Rheam, the Adolescent and Young Adult Oncology Social Worker, at (352) 265-6304 with further questions.

Improving how you cope

While UF Health offers several avenues of support for those encountering all the hardships of cancer, there’s an abundance of information to consider and methods to employ that can optimize how you manage your illness.

Anxiety and depression

Cognitive behavioral therapy resources

Deep breathing and relaxation

General wellness

Streetlight

Streetlight (Facebook) is a peer support program at UF Health Shands Children’s Hospital for people aged 13-30 living with cancer, cystic fibrosis, sickle cell and other chronic illnesses. Streetlight offers patients a sense of community through a variety of activities and support for patients, including access to the Streetlight Gaming League, art and music materials, homework help, a teen lounge with games, personalized creative projects, and more, all through an online community and in-person experiences.

To request a visit from Streetlight, tell your nurse you’d like to see us or dial 50917 from your room phone.

Support programs and organizations

Some of the organizations below are not affiliated with UF Health but offer potential support for patients. In addition to the organizations listed below, there are many other helpful programs and organizations that could provide assistance so please continue to find the resources that may work for you.

General information

UF Health Shands/Gainesville

News

Highlighted below are a few of the articles highlighting the experience and evolution of treatment for the AYA population.

Young adults

Teens and adolescents

Support groups and psychosocial resources

Support resources (vocational, financial, legal, etc.)

Fertility information

Fertility funding

Survivorship

Miscellaneous

Camps, adventures and retreats

Patient stories

Events

The Open Court Project Wheelchair Basketball Event - Campaign

Clinical trials

Clinical trials are essential for not only discovering new groundbreaking treatments for cancer, but also new ways to detect, diagnose, and reduce the chance of developing it. Clinical trials can show researchers what effectively does and doesn’t work in humans that cannot be learned in the laboratory or in animals.

Browse our clinical trials.

Meet the team

  • Dr. Leighton Elliott, MD
    Director
    Leighton Elliott
  • Dr. Joanne Lagmay, MD
    Pediatric/Adolescent and Young Adult Oncology
    Dr. Joanne Lagmay
  • Lauren E. Staley, APRN
    Oncofertility Navigator
    Lauren Staley
  • Alexis Rheam, MSW
    Adolescent and Young Adult Oncology Social Worker
    Alexis Rheam