Pictured: Queensland Youth Cancer Service (QYCS) team (L to R)
Bec Todd, Adolescent Young Adult Cancer Nurse Consultant,
Sandra Gleaves, Clinical Nurse Consultant, Survivorship & Transition Care (ARCHWAYS)
Emma Schutt, Clinical Nurse, Survivorship & Transition Care (ARCHWAYS)
Facing a cancer diagnosis is daunting at any age, but for young people just beginning to carve out their futures, it can feel especially cruel.
Yet this is the reality for more than 8,000 adolescents and young adults (15–24) diagnosed with cancer in Australia each year.
At Gold Coast University Hospital (GCUH), the number of youth cancer cases has been rising, climbing from 18 diagnoses in 2022 to 21 in 2023.
Fortunately, specialist support is close at hand, with a service designed specifically to support those at a unique stage of life.
The Queensland Youth Cancer Service (QYCS) provides specialised support to young people treated for cancer across Queensland, up to the age of 35.
QYCS’ five partner hospitals each have dedicated Youth Cancer Service clinicians who walk alongside young people throughout their cancer, with three dedicated, co-funded roles based at GCUH.
“The patients at that key developmental stage - no longer children, but not quite adults - are highly impacted by a cancer diagnosis,” Adolescent and Young Adult Cancer Nurse Consultant at Gold Coast Health, Bec Todd, said.
“It’s a difficult enough time without a cancer diagnosis, so we’re here to help them navigate it through clinical and psychosocial support.”
Bec has spent more than a decade in cancer care and said the emotional mix of her work is matched only by the resilience of the young people she supports.
“Young people are so amazing,” she said.
“They tackle obstacles head on and just go with it, which is incredibly inspiring to be around.”
For survivors, treatment is often just the beginning. That’s where the After Cancer Health and Wellness for Adolescents and Young Adults (ARCHWAYS) program steps in.
Statewide Clinical Nurse Consultant for ARCHWAYS, Sandra Gleaves, who is based at GCUH, said the service is already making a profound difference.
“ARCHWAYS was created to bridge that gap in survivorship care for adolescents and young adults, and make sure no one feels unsure about what comes next when they finish their treatment,” she said.
“We’re here to help them navigate living with and beyond cancer, whether that’s easing back into university or work, answering questions about fertility, immunisations, travel and symptoms, or connecting them with services outside the hospital, such as their GP.
“Both consultants and patients have told us how reassuring it is to have continuity of care.”
Understanding is at the core of the ARCHWAYS model.
“We are flexible and recognise that life can be messy - young people move houses, change numbers, lose paperwork, or miss appointments,” Sandra said.
“We understand these things happen, and we meet young people with empathy.”
The ARCHWAYS team recently welcomed Clinical Nurse Emma Schutt, who is based at GCUH in the role - a milestone in the program’s growth.
For Emma, with more than 12 years of experience, nursing young people feels like second nature.
“I’ve only ever worked with children, and I guess I never grew up,” she laughed.
“They’re just so fun.”
Sandra couldn’t agree more.
“Young people need someone who gets them and we’re proud to provide the support they need during what can be an uncertain time,” she said.
