Current Work

Through our work with AYAs and care providers, we have a more fulsome understanding of the distinct challenges AYAs face navigating cancer – from dealing with often late diagnosis, to accessing timely and supportive fertility care, to finding life-stage appropriate support and many more. This understanding is steeped in the diverse experiences of AYAs who, together with care providers and Anew, identified what needs to change to improve AYA cancer care and support. Together, we are now striving to develop and establish an effective AYA cancer care and support program for BC/Yukon.  
 
This is our current research focus, Co-Designing an AYA Cancer Care Program, Together [link], a collaborative effort to consolidate all our learnings into a comprehensive plan to develop an AYA Cancer Care Program for BC/Yukon which will then be enhanced and strengthened by AYAs, care providers and researchers, healthcare leaders and community supporters from throughout BC/Yukon.

The goal is to ensure that every AYA in BC/Yukon is well cared for and supported throughout their cancer experience and beyond.  
 
Pivotal to this work is another project now underway, Transforming Rural and Remote AYA Cancer Care in BC/Yukon [link]. Together with AYAs who live in rural and remote locations of BC/Yukon and those who care for them, we are exploring the additional challenges created by geography and defining tangible solutions to improve care. The learnings from this work will be integral to the development of an AYA cancer care and support program for BC/Yukon.