In 2017, Carly Flumer was a hospital primary care worker and health communication student in her mid- 20s when a few wellness exams revealed a lump in her throat. Follow-up scans forever transformed her young adult life: She was diagnosed with stage I papillary thyroid cancer at 27.

What followed, even as her scans showed no evidence of disease, was the beginning of a lifetime as a patient. Adolescents and young adult (AYA) patients (ages 15-39) with cancer face unique obstacles: financial barriers, social isolation and stigma, disruption to career and educational prospects, tolls on mental and emotional well-being, decisions around fertility, ensuring their voice is included in their care plans, and concerns of cancer returning later in life.

Carly shares her experiences with fellow AYA survivor, Dr. Mark Lewis, and explains why she now advocates for other AYA patients.