#EraseLymphoma

Each year, nearly 70,000 adolescents and young adults [AYA] are diagnosed with cancer; and lymphoma, the most common type of blood cancer, accounts for nearly 1-in-5 cancer diagnoses among young people. In fact, every five minutes someone is diagnosed with lymphoma. Statistically, adolescents and young adults [AYAs] ages 15 to 39 years are more likely to be diagnosed with cancer than children under the age of 15.n fact, it is the most common type of cancer in adolescents and young adults.

The challenges faced by AYA cancer patients remain one of the greatest unmet social and health needs facing young people today. In an effort to better serve the Adolescent and Young Adult population, the Lymphoma Research Foundation’s [LRF] Erase Lymphoma program aims to assist young lymphoma patients in addressing the unique medical challenges, psychosocial needs and access issues they may encounter by providing expert materials and programs.

The Lymphoma Research Foundation now seeks to deliver this multi-disciplinary, multi-modal program directly to student health centers on college and university campuses nationwide. The #EraseLymphoma on Campus program and related materials are offered free of charge to these academic partners and a customized training will be developed for health center staff by LRF’s national experts. LRF successfully implemented a pilot program in 2016 at Wesleyan University, and has since expanded the program to other major universities across the country including, Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey at Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey.

Impact of an AYA Cancer Diagnosis:

#Eraselymphoma on Campus is not a clinical intervention, but rather an education and awareness program. All education materials are provided free-of-charge to participating schools and a customized training, held via video conference, can be developed by LRF staff. Program materials and resources include:

Patient Toolkit

State of the art digital and hard copy toolkits complete with educational materials developed and reviewed by LRF staff and national lymphoma experts. Each toolkit includes: disease-specific information; free supportive care resources; peer-to-peer connectivity for students; and cancer survivorship materials for students after treatment ends. All materials are available in digital, app-based and hard copy formats.

Lymphoma Support Network

One-to-one peer support program that connects patients and caregivers with volunteers that have had a similar lymphoma experience, for mutual emotional support and encouragement. This type of peer support is vital to young people with lymphoma or who are lymphoma survivors. The toolkit provides applicants with a questionnaire, which enables enrollment in the program.

Lymphoma Helpline

The Lymphoma Helpline provides people with lymphoma and their loved ones with individualized disease and treatment-related information and resources.