What is the Adolescent and Young Adult (AYA) Cancer Service?

The Adolescent and Young Adult Cancer Service is here to help improve outcomes for young people aged between 12 and 24 with cancer in New Zealand. This is done through helping to coordinate your cancer care with other health professionals, and assisting with addressing you and your family’s social concerns during and after treatment.

The AYA Cancer Service is a team of health professionals focused on providing care for AYA’s with Cancer.

The team consists of:

• AYA Cancer Keyworker
• Adult Haematologists
• Adult Oncologists
• Paediatric Oncologists
• Psychologists
• Radiation Specialists and
• Allied Health professionals

The team works together to ensure each AYA patient gets the care and support that they require, along with ensuring that the unique needs of young cancer patients are highlighted and addressed on both a local and national level.

The AYA Service …

• Works with young people and their medical teams to help coordinate the care you need while you receive treatment.
• Provides emotional support as you, your family and friends deal with a cancer diagnosis, treatment and life after cancer. If needed, and with your permission, we can refer you to a specialist in this area.
• Looks at how we can help you and your family with any financial, work or education concerns you may be facing.
• Helps you deal with any changes in relationships you may experience. This can be with a parent, a sibling, a boyfriend, a girlfriend or friends.
• Will tell you about the support services available for you and your family in your area and with your permission, link you in with them.
• Advocates for you by helping you figure out the hospital and medical systems and can help you talk to your medical team, family, friends, other agencies, work or your education provider about your needs and concerns.
• Assists with any accommodation needs for you and your family while you receive treatment.
• Provides you with fun stuff if you have to come and stay on the ward at Christchurch Hospital.
• Supports and works with you and your loved ones with any end of life matters, if this is needed.
• Continues working with you (if you would like) in and outside the hospital.

How does the service work?

The CDHB has an AYA Key Worker who meets all 12 to 24 year olds with a diagnosis of cancer whilst they are in hospital. Support is offered and a strong focus of the service is advocacy. This means that your key worker works with you, your family/whānāu​​ and your health care team to ensure that your needs are met and that you understand the information being given to you.

If you want, your key worker can also liaise with your school, tertiary institution or employer to help your friends or colleagues to understand what is happening to you and to ensure that you get the right support from them. The key worker will not speak to these people without your permission.

Your key worker also liaises with CanTeen, The Child Cancer Foundation, Leukaemia Blood Cancer NZ and the Cancer Society for support, information or help as needed.

How to make contact

If you are aged 12 to 24, have a cancer diagnosis and wish to make contact with the key worker or to find out more about the service please call:

Louise Sue

AYA Cancer Key Worker
Phone: 03 364 1541 or 027 382 6584
louise.sue@cdhb.health.nz