DEAR THYROID^TM

When I was diagnosed with cancer, I immediately hit the internet. I needed information, and Google became my best friend. Here’s what I discovered: there is an ABUNDANCE of information on cancer all over the web. Support communities, articles, testimonials, treatment plans, etc. But, as a young adult, tracking down information relevant to me was much harder. If you are an older adult with cancer, the information and research is available. The same goes for pediatric cancer. However, if you fall into the age bracket of 18-40, the information is harder to track down. Sure, during my initial scouring of the web I found LOTS of information on thyroid cancer, but finding information about young adults with thyroid cancer was much more difficult.

Several weeks ago I shared some of my favorite resources regarding thyroid disease/cancer in this article. Most of these resources were not targeted towards a specific age group. The last resource, however, was geared towards young adults: “A Malignant Melanoma Walks Into a Bar…” I want to expand on this a little bit and share with you a few of my favorite resources that are specifically geared towards young adults.

The very first young adult resource I came across after my diagnosis was Kairol Rosenthal’s book, Everything Changes. Kairol is a fellow thyroid cancer survivor, which is what initially attracted me to the book. In her book she interviews lots of other young adult survivors with different types of cancer. They share insight into all different aspects of survivorship, FROM THE YOUNG ADULT PERSPECTIVE! Reading this was a breath of fresh air for me because it confirmed that I was not alone, that other young adult survivors were dealing with the same issues I was dealing with. If you haven’t read Kairol’s book, I highly recommend you do. You can find it on Amazon and you can also read more about Kairol on her blog.

The I’m Too Young For This! Cancer Foundation is another FABULOUS resource for young adults. Founded by brain cancer survivor Matthew Zachary, i[2]y is where young adult survivors connect with other young adult survivors and “get busy living.” If you are a young adult cancer survivor or a friend or family member of a young adult survivor, head over to i[2]y for tons of great resources and information that is targeted towards survivors in the 15-40 age group. They also have a radio show that airs on Monday nights at 8PM/ET called The Stupid Cancer Show. The show is AWESOME and touches on a wide variety of topics and features different organizations and survivors. If you haven’t tuned in before, I encourage you to check it out next Monday.

Planet Cancer is another great place for young adults to connect with each other. Planet cancer is a vast online forum where you can join groups based on the type of cancer you have or issues you are dealing with post-treatment. From relationships to cancer fashion, there is a group for just about everything. If you are a survivor in your 20s or 30s, check out Planet Cancer. But wait, that’s not all. There is also the book, Planet Cancer: The frequently bizarre yet always informative experiences and thoughts of your fellow natives. I think the tagline says it all, but it is a GREAT read. For more information on where you can get it, head over to the Planet Cancer Book blog.

These are some of my favorite young adult resources, but I want to know what your favorites are, too. What other young adult resources should I add to my list? As a young adult cancer survivor, where do you go for support and information?

xo,

Joanna

Tags: cancer survivors, Life Redefined written by Joanna Isbill, Life Redefined: More Resources for Young Adults, resources for young adults with cancer, Thyroid Cancer Survivor, young adult survivorship, young adults with cancer

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