At the Aflac Cancer and Blood Disorders Center of Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, we understand teenagers and young adults who are facing cancer have their own unique needs and concerns. They require a different approach to care than younger children or older adults.
The goal of our Adolescent and Young Adult (AYA) Cancer Program is to provide support tailored to meet the needs of patients who are 15 years of age or older. Adolescents and young adults have different medical challenges than children. This program is designed to help our AYA cancer patients navigate:
- Coping techniques
- Relationships
- Fertility
- Long-term health
- Finances
- Independence
Treatment and Support Tailored to Teens and Young Adults With Cancer
Our comprehensive programs include a team of providers dedicated to each type of pediatric cancer.
The Aflac Cancer and Blood Disorders Center Survivor Program has resources to help adolescents and young adults manage the physical and mental late effects of cancer treatment through risk-based surveillance and long-term care planning. With support for mental health, fertility preservation and access to evidence-based care, we empower survivors to thrive in adulthood.
At the Aflac Cancer and Blood Disorders Center, we believe survivors of childhood and adolescent cancer who have been off treatment for approximately two years—as well as survivors of non-cancerous conditions treated with blood and marrow transplant (BMT)— should have long-term, follow-up care in a specialized survivor program. We can see patients until they are 21 years old and then transition them to young adult care; however, we can also see older patients treated at Children’s for a one-time counseling visit.
The team at the Aflac Cancer and Blood Disorders Center offers fertility preservation as a continuum of care, treating not only the diagnosis at hand but preserving patient health and wellness into the future after treatment is over. In our Fertility Preservation Program, we recognize that it is very important to patients to preserve their ability to have children in the future. When these treatments are needed, our team works with patients and their families to help make sure they understand their risk of infertility and their options for fertility preservation.
Clinical trials help researchers make discoveries that could lead to future cures. Our team of doctors and nurses at Children's can help you find a trial that's right for your child.
The Teen Loft at Arthur M. Blank Hospital is the hub for AYA hematology and oncology patient activities. Located on the ninth floor (just outside of our oncology units), this is the primary space where we host our many events for adolescent and young adult patients admitted to the hospital. Some of these events are hosted by Children’s and others by our community partners.
In addition to scheduled events, the Teen Loft provides teens a safe space to relax, create, play video games, chat with child life specialists or jam with music therapists.
Receiving a cancer diagnosis for your child can be an emotional and overwhelming experience. At the Aflac Cancer and Blood Disorders Center, we are here to support you and your family. Whether we are treating a teenager during an emergency or helping a young adult through chemotherapy treatments, we aim to provide the best care—and best experience—for every pediatric cancer patient we serve. Family is a big part of your child’s well-being. Not only are you a vital member of the healthcare team, you are a source of security and comfort for your child no matter his age.
We work to support your whole family while your child is in our care—and after they go home.
Contact Us 404-785-1200