Common Questions & Answers
Yes, Wellspring offers a dedicated suite of programs built specifically for young adults between the ages of 18 and 39 (and up to 44 for social programs), because cancer at this stage of life brings a distinct set of challenges that general cancer programs don’t always address: disrupted career and education plans, fertility concerns, relationship strain, isolation from peers, and the particular difficulty of facing a serious illness when your friends are living an entirely different reality. Programs in this stream include a Young Adult Social for peer connection in a relaxed setting, a Brain Fog cognitive rehabilitation program, a Body Image Awareness Seminar, a Young Women’s Breast Cancer Support Group, Yoga, and the Healing Journey — all either designed for or adapted to the young adult experience. Research consistently shows that young adults living with cancer benefit most from support that is tailored to their specific preferences, life stage, and social needs.
The Young Adult Social program is exactly that — a relaxed, informal gathering for young adults aged 18 to 44 to simply spend time together, whether that means a games night, a picnic, an outing, or another activity, in a no-pressure atmosphere where both lighter conversation and deeper connection are equally welcome. There is no agenda beyond connection, and the format is kept intentionally fluid to meet participants where they are — so if you need to laugh, you can laugh, and if you need to talk about the hard things, there is space for that too. For those who are new to Wellspring, the Young Adult Social is also a natural first step — a way to learn about programs and resources while simply enjoying the company of others who understand what it’s like to go through cancer in the first half of life. Research supports what participants experience: that informal peer social support improves emotional wellbeing, reduces isolation, and enhances quality of life for young adult cancer survivors.
Yes, Wellspring’s Brain Fog program is an 8-week, weekly 90-minute program developed by Dr. Heather Palmer from Maximum Capacity, has a young adult stream specifically for cancer patients aged 18 to 39 who are experiencing cognitive changes as a result of their cancer or treatment. Symptoms like memory concerns, difficulty finding words, slower information processing, and reduced concentration affect more than half of cancer patients — and this program was built to address exactly these challenges through practical memory strategies, task completion techniques, and tools you can apply in daily life at school, work, or home. Randomized controlled trial research on this program and similar cognitive rehabilitation interventions has shown improvements in memory, attention, goal management, task management, and overall quality of life in people living with cancer. Participants consistently describe leaving the program with both practical tools and a meaningful sense of relief at finally having their experience named and addressed.
The Young Adult Body Image Awareness Seminar (BIAS) is a 6-week online program, meeting once weekly for 90 minutes, specifically designed for people living with cancer who are experiencing body image challenges — which is particularly common and particularly complex for young adults whose sense of identity and self-worth is often deeply connected to their physical experience. The program is interactive and activity-based, covering topics across the six weeks including the science of body image, myths and truths, social and media influences, individual differences, self-compassion and mindfulness, and goal-setting for beyond the program. The overall aim is not to achieve a fixed standard of body acceptance, but to move toward appreciating and respecting the body you currently have — and to do that alongside others who understand the experience from the inside. As one participant described it, the program gave her a start and the motivation to keep working — and the knowledge that she wasn’t alone in her thoughts and fears.
Research is clear that young adults living with cancer have distinct needs that general cancer programs are not designed to meet. A 2022 study specifically recognized that young adult cancer survivors require support tailored to their unique preferences, circumstances, and life stage — including concerns around fertility, career disruption, relationships, identity, and the acute isolation of facing cancer when peers are not. Published literature has also found that peer interaction and social support in settings designed for young adults specifically lead to meaningful improvements in emotional wellbeing, isolation, and quality of life — outcomes that are harder to achieve when a young adult is the only person under 50 in a general support group. Wellspring’s young adult programs — from social events and support groups to cognitive rehabilitation, body image work, yoga, and the Healing Journey — are each grounded in this evidence and shaped around the realities of cancer in early adulthood.