Young adults with cancer often encounter a unique set of issues and challenges.

• They generally feel isolated and alone or "too young" to have cancer
• His or her peers are unlikely to understand cancer, let alone know how to behave or support someone who has it.
• They are typically just starting careers or families and come across financial struggles during treatment, not being able to work or well enough to care for a young family.
• Their parents and siblings are often left out of the support process and are left deal with little information and resources.
• They face fertility issues.
• They may not have sufficient health insurance
• They face intimacy and relationship struggles through their cancer journey
• Some are living in regional areas with little resources and support.
• Most importantly cancer forces many young adults to prematurely face their own mortality.

Children diagnosed with cancer have many resources available to them. Entire hospitals are dedicated to their treatment, they benefit from the majority of financial aid, research funds and foundations such as Make A Wish and Ronald McDonald House® and, of course they typically have supportive parents to carefully manage their care.

Like children, older people are more likely to have numerous recourses: family nearby, a pre-existing support network via social, professional and community connections, health insurance or Medicare, a better understanding of cancer and, perhaps some financial security.

What we do at The Warwick Foundation

• Advocacy and awareness
• Link patients/survivors and caregivers to form support groups in all areas around Australia
• Provide a directory of information/resources and services to suit the needs of young adults on their cancer journey
• Support rural and regional cancer networks around Australia
• Support research programs into the needs of young adults with cancer
• Support the establishment of care centres around Australia for adolescents and young adults with cancer (see Advocacy section)

Our Mission is to:

• Promote the need for a compassionate and holistic approach for young adults on their cancer journey
• Connect the community, health providers, government and other support agencies in excellence and consistency in the culture of care
• Encourage a recognition of the unique challenges these young adults face on their cancer journey
• Partner with organisations in achieving the mission of the The Warwick Foundation
• Pioneer the development of effective models of care for young adults with cancer
• Be able to sponsor a state-wide symposium for healthcare providers who are involved in the management of young people in the health care setting
• Contribute funding to the creation of journey kits for all young people diagnosed with cancer, containing fact-sheets, diary and information supporting their needs as young adults
• Provide resources/information that suit the needs of a young adult on their cancer journey
• Be able to provide direct relief to patients and their families throughout their cancer journey where otherwise government bodies and other support organisations such as Centrelink cannot

In my Shoes

Once diagnosed
It’s a journey I must walk
I don’t want to feel like I am alone,
I don’t want pity.
I want to be treated normal
I need support
I need care
I need strength
I need knowledge
I need power
This is my fight for life
A battle I need to win