Recent Projects
Anew’s research program began in 2022, where we worked collaboratively with AYAs and care providers to fully understand the distinct and complex cancer care needs of AYAs and determine priorities and tangible actions to improve care. This initial work, Reshaping Young Adult Cancer Care [link], set the foundation for all Anew’s research efforts to follow.
An important project, intertwined with this work, explored the cancer care and support challenges faced by racialized AYAs navigating the cancer care system. The learnings from Transforming Cancer Care for Racialized Young Adults [link] guide our commitment to meaningfully engage and include AYAs with diverse identities who are often underrepresented and underrepresented in AYA cancer care and support research and practice.
Another highly innovative project leveraged immersive performance and applied theatre to give care providers a felt-sense of what it’s like to experience cancer as an AYA and to inspire change. A talented team of AYA co-researchers worked with theatre professionals and Anew to co-create Imagine…, [link] which debuted at the 2024 BC Cancer Summit and is now reaching broader audiences.
Finally, 2025 saw the completion of a project focused on improving fertility care and support for AYAs -- a key priority identified by AYAs themselves. Improving Fertility Care & Resources in BC/Yukon [link] brought together AYAs, and AYA champions at BC Cancer, BC Children’s Hospital and Anew to fully understand the fertility care challenges AYAs experience and to co-develop resources and system changes to bring fertility care to the forefront.
