by Lauren Terrazzano
Newsday 1/23/07

One look at the logo flashing across the top of the Planet Cancer Web site says it all.

"We've done drugs Keith Richards has never heard of."

The Web site, planetcancer.org, has existed for several years, and seeks to fill what was once a huge service and support void for young adults with cancer. It's an often forgotten group of people living with cancer who fall into that scary netherworld between pediatrics and geriatrics, "where no one knows whether to give you a lollipop or have a serious talk about your fiber intake," said Heidi Adams, one of the Web site's founders.

Cancer patients between the ages of 15 and 40 make up 7 percent of the overall cancer population in the United States, according to recent data from the National Cancer Institute, and many experts contend that their mental health needs are often not met. The most common cancers among young people are types of leukemia and lymphoma, and melanoma, she said, but testicular, breast and even lung cancer have fast become cancers of a younger generation.

Although there have historically been emotional support systems in place for other age demographics, young adults are facing a whole set of complexities with dating, fertility and sex, for starters. How many dates should you have before you tell a prospective partner that you've been treated for cancer, and, oh yeah, that it might come back? Will you try to have a child after that toxic round of chemotherapy your body has endured? Questions. Questions.

"Cancer is disruptive at any age, but young adulthood is a time of becoming who you are in terms of career, life path and relationships," said Adams, 39, a Ewing's sarcoma survivor and founder of the Houston-based site that receives support from the Lance Armstrong Foundation. "Cancer comes along and throws a big old wrench into the works."

That's exactly what happened to me. I remember scanning the waiting room at Memorial Sloan-Kettering, looking for anyone even close to my age.

Adams' Web site, founded in 2000, tackles other issues with equal humor and intelligence. It has a section called "Real World Advice" for support groups, divided by state, tips and research. The site also features a "cancertainment" section of cartoons, books and other musings on the disease. The intent is not to diminish the seriousness of the illness or death, but to let people know laughter and light can turn up in the most unusual places, she said.

Closer to home, several organizations offer support for young adult cancer patients and survivors. Gilda's Club, in New York City, offers a variety of support groups for younger people and their families. Memorial Sloan- Kettering has a young adult program. And The LifeLab is a nonprofit corporation dedicated to helping young adult cancer survivors rebuild their lives after treatment. It offers programs, mentors, networking and peer support free of charge to young adult survivors in New York City.

Said Adams, "The main issue is the sense of isolation and that causes all kinds of problems on a whole number of levels ... and no one can understand."