Team Cancer America is a movement to empower and improve the lives of young people with cancer. No other enterprise in the nation does what we do: We create youth-centered ecosystems that support young people with cancer, their families, and healthcare professionals. Teen Cancer America integrates everything required to champion a comprehensive youth-centered approach to cancer in hospitals and health systems throughout America.

-We partner with hospitals and philanthropists across the country to activate strategies, create needed facilities, and develop services that meet the special requirements of teens and young adults with cancer. -We build youth-friendly environments — real and virtual — that enhance the care experience for patients, families, and care teams, facilitating connections and cultivating a sense of community. -We enhance standards for age-targeted care, accelerate collaboration between pediatric and adult specialists, and stimulate dedicated research to improve outcomes and survival for our young people.

Although Teen Cancer America has officially operated in the USA since 2012, we have a much longer history with teen and young adult cancer and a track record for success that has reached tens of thousands of young people. TCA is an independent organization, but our story begins in the United Kingdom with the Teenage Cancer Trust, launched in 1989. Before Teenage Cancer Trust opened its first teen and young adult-focused hospital unit in 1990, there was no specialized cancer care for young people offered within the UK’s National Health Service — or anywhere in the world. Today, 28 specialist units and teams of expert nurses and youth support staff in NHS hospitals across the UK offer young people the very best care and support from the moment they hear the word “cancer.” Here in America, led by the former CEO of TCT, we are a focused, highly effective team that is providing expert consultancy and funds for hospitals throughout the country.

-Health professionals tell about the difference TCA ecosystems make in their work. “I never realized it could be this way.” “Now I realize we haven’t been addressing teen and young adult cancer in the right way.” -Families see the difference in their access to resources and support, and in the quality of life and care for their teens and young adults. -Philanthropic supporters speak of the often-personal transformation they experience when they witness the impact of their generosity. In the words of our Founder Roger Daltrey of The Who, “Supporting young people with cancer won’t just change their lives. It will change yours.” -The feedback we’re most proud of comes from young people. They tell us Teen Cancer America “gets it.” Young people say TCA empowered them to be themselves. They want every young person with cancer to experience this. -We measure our impact with every grant, requiring a schedule of deliverables that must be achieved before each staged.

In six years we have developed 17 programs, supporting over 5,000 young people and raised over $15,000,000 to provide grants. A further 67 hospitals engage with TCA to develop future programs. Yet there are still vast regions of the country without access to youth-appropriate cancer care. We are ready to replicate our model for change across the US. Every day, more hospitals and healthcare systems reach out to work with us. We can provide the expertise and resources they need to: -Build and equip youth cancer care units. -Create facilities where young people and their families can connect with each other and with vital resources. -Support integrated care teams — oncologists, nurses, psychologists, program managers, nurse/patient navigators. -Launch youth-centered care programs, including emotional therapy, fertility counseling, survivorship support, and end-of-life care. -Develop and share best practices and advance research.