Hi from the Young Adult Survivorship Team

[paulinejs]

Hi Everyone, Survivorship can present us with lots of challenges, and the end of treatment is not always a time for champagne and celebrations. Trust me ….. I know. I’m Pauline, a (very slightly) neurotic mother of 2 young adults with a belly and nose ring, who has been known to say and do some mildly outrageous things. Oh, and I am also one of Cancer Council’s Survivorship Unit Team. My special interest is working with Young Adults aged 18-45 (gotta love the fact that 45 is still considered a young adult!) I have a background in social work and adult education and training, as well as being a qualified life coach. Before I started in this role, I worked as a Community Coordinator for the Northern Sydney Region of Cancer Council NSW. Prior to joining Cancer Council I worked at CanTeen - www.canteen.org.au/ - the organisation for young people (12-24) living with cancer (not the school tuck shop – although I have done my time there as well!). While working there I co-produced a video for parents of young people living with cancer and also wrote a series of books called ‘Now What?’ for young people living with cancer and bereaved young people. You can check them out here: http://www.nowwhat.org.au/about/resources/its-like-this-parent-dvd http://www.nowwhat.org.au/about/resources/about-now-what-resources I’m very excited about working with the Young Adult Support Project and know that for many of you finding support and services that actually meet your needs is not always easy (guess that’s cos there aren’t many around) We aim to change that. At the moment we are NSW-based but are looking towards a national focus in the future. If you are Sydney-based you might be interested in attending our upcoming Young Adult Workshop that will give you tips and ideas to help you deal with the sh!t that cancer dumped on you. You can read more about the Workshop, me and our work in a great article posted on The Mamamia blog: www.mamamia.com.au/mamamia-cares/story-about-cancer-the-everyday-survivors/ I look forward to reading about your experiences, things of interest to you and your ideas or suggestions about how to improve life as a Young Adult survivor.  Pauline

[Rubes1984]

Hi Pauline, that sounds wonderful that this initiative has been started. I really hope it hits off in qld. good luck and welcome :) Rubes

[casper]

Thank you Pauline, for giving us "young adults" such a great service. Would love to see it expanded to Adelaide too. Let me know if I can help do that in anyway. Casper

[paulinejs]

Hi Rubes Thanks for your welcome. I have been flat out working on the upcoming Young Adults Workshop. While this is Sydney based, the young adults page here is a way to connect with others. If we all keep talking about it and raise awareness of the issues then hopefully we can increase the profile of young adults who have fnished their treatment and we can take it nationally.