Lowell Williams

Planet Cancer

Grant Awarded: $20,490

Planet Cancer, a program within the Lance Armstrong Foundation, is a community of young adults with cancer. It’s a place to share insights, explore our fears, laugh, or even give the finger to cancer, with others who just plain get it.

Young adult cancer survival rates have remained stagnant for 35 years. Our project, Planet Cancer: Welcome to Our World, is a succinct, clever, conversational tool created to address the holes in a system which has overlooked these patients for decades. The patients will use this advocacy kit to personally educate doctors and nurses on current data and the unique experience of a young adult with cancer. Each kit will include:

Planet Cancer: Welcome to Our World fan decks of “Top ten things we want you to know about young adults with cancer” and “What you can do about it.”

Pledge forms to collect providers’ acknowledgement and email address

Humorous Plant Cancer giveaways (pens, buttons)

Planet Cancer brochures and information cards

The kit will be sent to Planet Cancer’s population of young adult survivors around the country. Using the instruction sheet and fan deck as guides, the young adult advocate will deliver a short, personal presentation to their healthcare team (doctors, nurses, radiation techs, social workers, etc.). The healthcare provider(s) will sign a pledge card acknowledging their understanding and support, and will opt in with their email address to receive new research and information about young adult oncology.