NY Deli Unveiling of Connection

Overarching theme:

Connection

Ted and Friends connects people with information, tools, support, and fun.

Connect Survivors By:
- Survivors can learn about their type of cancer
- Survivors can learn about insurance
- Survivors can learn about financial aid
- Survivors can get support from others through social network
- Survivors can have fun
- Survivors' friends and family can get support from other friends and family

Isolation:
These young adults need support, and they need to get rid of this feeling of isolation.
Young adult cancer survivors have to go through a multitude of emotions that no other group of people has to deal with. They have to overcome this feeling of isolation. These individuals have a lot to look forward in their lives, but some of the issues they have to deal with are long-term problems and they do not have anyone to relate to.

Dealing with → fertility issues, education, sexuality, peer support, financial aid, insurance, and employment.

Stop and think about it for a minute. Have you ever considered going to a sperm bank? Have you ever thought about dropping out of school? Have you ever looked to your friends and gotten a look of complete bewilderment or pity when you talk about something? Have you ever gotten a call that said you wouldn’t be covered by insurance because of a preexisting condition? Have you ever thought that someone might not give you a job because they are worried that you might not be able to perform at the same level as other employees?

Relate:
These survivors need someone that understands what they are going through. This could be another survivor; it could be another parent to parent, or friend to friend, but there needs to be a way to relate to the other individual. You can only really understand what someone is going through if you have experienced or are experiencing that circumstance. We need to connect people that can relate to one another.

So this is where I am at right now. I have given my friends this and we are meeting again later this week. I am still working on secondary research, and will begin my primary research later this week.