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Derek Garcia of Post Falls with his young family: “It was scary to think what life would be like if I was sick for an extended period of time.” cancer
Derailed Dreams When cancer hits young adults, the effects ripple outward By heather caro
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ecember 7, 2007 is forever etched into Spokane resident April Bell’s memory. Following months of vague gastrointestinal complaints, that was the day Bell’s doctor finally diagnosed her with cancer. It was also exactly seven months after another important date for the then-30-year-old — her wedding. Like most young brides, Bell did not foresee testing the ‘in sickness and in health’ vow so early in her marriage. But soon after being diagnosed with follicular non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma — a particularly aggressive form of cancer typically found in patients many decades older — Bell was
faced with crippling medical treatments, financial burden and uncertain fertility. The American Cancer Society estimates more than 700,000 young people ages 15 to 39 are diagnosed with cancer each year in the United States. In fact, after accidental injury, cancer is one of the leading causes of death in this demographic. And despite treatment advances in both older and younger counterparts, the mortality rate for adolescents and young adults diagnosed with cancer has remained virtually unchanged for more than 30 years. That’s probably because these cancers tend to be more aggressive, less responsive
to treatment and diagnosed later. Many young people may not consider themselves at risk for cancer and screening tests are not routinely provided. Others may delay treatment because they are uninsured. Even providers may prolong diagnosis by initially mistaking fatigue or stress for often vague presenting symptoms. Those who survive find a cancer diagnosis can derail many of the normal transitions that occur during this time — things like forging ahead in careers and starting a family. “It takes so much away from you,” says Bell, who refers to her life in terms of BC and AC — before and after cancer.
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hen Post Falls resident Derek Garcia was diagnosed with testicular cancer in 2012, he did not have insurance. Young adults, like the 28-year-old Garcia, boast the highest uninsured rate of any age bracket. For them, a cancer diagnosis can be financially devastating. After being diagnosed, Garcia eventu-
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