YAP@DFCI hosts a variety of programs for young adults with cancer that focus on peer support, skill building, educational workshops, and social networking.
Counseling Services
YAP can connect you with
social workers,
psychologists, or psychiatrists who have specific expertise working with young adults. Counselors can help you better understand the emotional impact and challenges of coping with cancer, and can introduce
you to helpful, concrete strategies for increasing your coping skills. We offer services for individuals, couples, and families.
Family Connections
Family Connections is dedicated to supporting adult cancer patients who are parents and their children. The program offers guidance, information,
and resources to those who are dealing with cancer in their family, and helps identify and respond to the needs of parents and children by supporting, supplementing, and empowering family coping.
Young and Strong Program for Young Women with Breast Cancer
Dana-Farber's
Young and Strong Program for Young Women with Breast Cancer focuses on the unique needs of women in their early 40s and younger who have been diagnosed with breast cancer,
including fertility and genetic counseling, and state-of-the-art cancer care.
Snapshot Conversation Aid
YAP has developed conversation aids to help young adults with cancer discuss their unique needs. View the
Snapshot Edit & Frame Care Plan, and email
yap@dfci.harvard.edu to learn more or to obtain a copy of the Snapshot conversation aid.
Support Groups
Dana-Farber hosts young adult support group sessions every month, along with disease- and identity-specific (e.g., caregiver) support groups. The young adult support group is open to patients between the ages of 18 and 39, whether they are treated at
Dana-Farber or elsewhere. The Young Adult Program can also connect patients and their caregivers to
other support groups that may be helpful.
Technology for Young Adults
Using technology and social media to connect with your peers can be very helpful in coping with cancer. Here are some ways you can connect with YAP and other young adults online:
- Join regular
Twitter chats (#YAPchat) hosted by our Twitter handle, @DanaFarberYAP
- Follow the wider
#ayacsm (adolescent and young adult cancer social media) community on Twitter
- Follow
YAP on Facebook to stay up-to-date on events and resources
- Tweet us your songs for our #YAcancerplaylist on
Spotify, a collection of songs submitted by young adults that inspire them or give
them strength or joy during treatment, and follow the playlist
- Join iaya, YAP's new smartphone app, to help build community around coping skills. Available to any young adult (age 18-39) treated at Dana-Farber in adult medical oncology. For more information and to obtain an access code, please email yap@dfci.harvard.edu or call 617-632-6819.
Workshops
Educational workshops provide opportunities to expand your knowledge base, connect with peers, and challenge your understanding around such topics as sexuality and sensuality, personal therapeutic outlets (such as music), and the impact of cancer on personal
identity.
Young Adult Cancer Conference
The
Young Adult Cancer Conference is an annual conference for people treated for cancer as a young adult
and their caregivers. After an opening session presented by a young adult who has coped with cancer, facilitated workshops provide opportunities to learn about the many issues faced by young adults, as well as opportunities to converse with other
young adults and their caregivers. This is a community conference and is open to patients treated at Dana-Farber and at outside institutions. The conference is held in late March/early April each year.
View the 2016 keynote address from Katherine Walsh, who was treated for leukemia as a young adult. Email
yap@dfci.harvard.edu to learn about the upcoming conference and other events.