The American Cancer Society projects that more than 26,000 youth (birth through age 22) will be diagnosed with cancer in the year 2023. Currently, more than 80% of children diagnosed with cancer survive. This is a huge celebration! However, with successful treatment, a life-long risk of adverse health effects for childhood cancer survivors arises.
Approximately two-thirds of survivors will experience late effects of their cancer treatment, including cognitive and psychosocial late effects.
Completing cancer treatment comes with a range of emotions. There is celebration and joy, but there is also fear and uncertainty. It can be a time when survivors feel “lost” and that they must now “fend for themselves.” After the Bell Alliance aims to change that by providing education, advocacy, and supports to children, adolescents, and young adults who have completed cancer treatment, along with their families.
Our purpose is to provide charity to youth experiencing cancer treatment related effects and/or late/long term effects on behavior, mental health, learning, and/or cognition. We provide parent coaching, educational advocacy, short-term mental health counseling, and connecting children in remission with mental health professionals. We advocate to raise social consciousness about the late term health side effects from cancer treatments.