BUFFALO, N.Y. (WKBW) — Cancer rates are rising among young adults, with about 80,000 new diagnoses each year in people aged 20 to 39.
So, 7 News set out to hear directly from cancer survivors in this age group, who face unique challenges related to this time in their lives.
“We have kids, we are employees, some of us run businesses, and battling cancer is a full-time job,” said Kimberly LaRussa, who joined fellow cancer survivors Lindsay Riggs and Mindy Haarmeyer on our panel, along with Dr. Denise Rokitka and Megan Crawford from Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center.
We also spent the day with a young woman who was diagnosed with cancer after the birth of her second child, heard words of wisdom from a woman who beat cancer more than a decade ago as a young adult and talked with two physician researchers at Roswell Park who are pioneers in a relatively new therapy that is changing how cancer is treated.
You can watch our 7 News special, “Voices of Strength: Young Adults With Cancer,” in the video player at the top of the page.
