Moffitt’s Adolescent & Young Adult (AYA) Program under the Supportive Care Medicine Program addresses the unique concerns and emotional needs of young adults with cancer. We are committed to providing patients ages 15 to 39 with specialized medical and psychosocial clinical care.

What is AYA?

AYA, an acronym for Adolescent & Young Adult, refers to someone diagnosed with cancer between the ages of 15-39. About 70,000 adolescents and young adults receive an unexpected cancer diagnosis every year. A nationwide focus is emerging to increase awareness of the unique issues AYA patients face, to better understand and address these issues and to increase survival rates.

Moffitt’s AYA Program exists to help young adult patients and their families:

Manage the emotional toll of their cancer
Receive access to cutting edge clinical trials and state-of-the-art care
Discuss and understand the cancer treatment and its fertility risks and options.
Connect with others who are also facing cancer and coping with similar issues

AYA Program Mission

Improve the cancer care experience and long-term effects for adolescents and young adults with cancer at Moffitt Cancer Center by ensuring all AYA patients and survivors have equitable access to education, resources, services and events specific to their age.

AYA Program Goals

Advocacy: Support national and global policies that will transform cancer care for AYA survivors.
Fertility: Educate AYA patients on the risks of infertility and the options and resources for fertility preservation.
Navigation: offer individualized assistance to patients, families, and caregivers to help overcome system barriers.
Patient Education: Create and maintain current educational and informational materials for adolescents and adults with cancer and their families.
Psychosocial: To assess, intervene, and advocate for the psychosocial needs of AYA cancer patients
Research: Improve clinical outcomes through clinical trials, research and coordinated efforts across diagnoses
Social Events: Create social opportunities for AYA’s with cancer to benefit from peer-to-peer experience and support
Survivorship: Promote health and well-being for post treatment cancer survivors by addressing physical, vocational, emotional, social, and spiritual needs

Learn more about upcoming events and activities in our monthly newsletter.

AYA Lounge

The Swim Across America AYA lounge at the Magnolia campus is available 24/7 for all patients between the ages of 15-39.

AYA patients participate in a cooking class

AYA Connect and Events

Moffitt encourages AYA patients, family members and friends to participate in our connect programs and events throughout the year.

Fertility Preservation

Certain cancer treatments can interfere with a person’s reproductive ability, but there’s no need to choose between raising a family and receiving life-saving care.