Youth Cancer Awareness Month 2026
Youth Cancer Service
Too Young. Too Serious. Too Urgent
Too Young. Too Serious. Too Urgent.
Being young doesn't protect you from cancer. For around 1,300 Australians aged 15–25 who are diagnosed every year, it can feel like the health system wasn't built for them. Youth Cancer Awareness Month is Canteen's annual call to action: to fund better services, demand better policy, and make sure no young person faces cancer without the right support around them.
50%
Rise in youth cancer since the '80s.
Up to 270%
Rise in bowel cancer in young Australians.
40 years
No improvement in sarcoma survival rate.
$1.3 million
Lifetime cost of a youth cancer diagnosis.
Meet some of our ambassadors
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Ben, 22
"I was in Year 11 and felt a lump at the bottom of my foot. But exams and Christmas meant I didn't want to see a doctor about it. Plus, it didn't hurt that much."
Diagnosed at 17 after noticing a lump on his left foot. He has faced extensive chemotherapy, a below-knee amputation, followed by an above-knee amputation, and more recently, surgery to remove his hamstring. Despite his harrowing story, he is a passionate advocate for Youth Cancer patients and the work of YCS.
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Holly, 24
"Cancer survival needs to change from a privilege to an expectation."
Diagnosed at 17 with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia after brushing off symptoms as being regular teenage things – feeling a bit tired and sleeping a lot. Her treatment meant she was forced to drop out of high school. Five close friends she made during her cancer treatment died from their cancers. She has reached remission and says the age-specific services provided by YCS massively improved her quality of life. She credits advances in research and clinical trials as saving her life.
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Rianna, 23
"When I found out I had a brain tumour, it almost felt like a relief. Finally, I had evidence that something wasn't right. I wasn't imagining it."
A talented sportsperson and dancer, Rianna was diagnosed with Medulloblastoma brain cancer at 17 following symptoms including dizziness, nausea, headaches and fatigue. She underwent surgery and chemotherapy. Rianna now is an Observer Director on Canteen’s Board.
What's at stake
The problem
Young people with cancer don't fit neatly into a system built for children or adults. Aged 15 to 25, they're too old for children's and too young for adult cancer services, leaving them without the specialist support that evidence shows improves survival rates and long-term wellbeing. Canteen-funded Youth Cancer Services exist to fill that gap. Right now, we're doing exactly that.
A growing need
Investment is simply not keeping pace with need. Youth cancer is under-researched, and under-recognised - and the consequences are real. Diagnoses have risen 50% since the 1980s, yet awareness of youth cancer as a distinct medical and social challenge remains low. We are seeing an alarming and undeniable rise in aggressive cancers in young Australians, and we cannot afford to look away. The specialist age-appropriate services that make a difference depend on funding that isn't guaranteed. The system that should catch our young people has gaps in it.
Why Youth Cancer Awareness Month matters
That's why this month matters. Every donation, every shared post, every conversation that happens during Youth Cancer Awareness Month builds the case that young Australians with cancer deserve better — more awareness, more resources, and a health system that sees them.
The cost of inaction
Canteen is calling for a funding commitment to the 1,300 young Australians diagnosed every year and the thousands more who will follow. With a lifetime cost per diagnosis of $1.3 million, it's a ticking time bomb we can't afford to ignore.
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How to help
Share our message: Follow and share Canteen's social media posts throughout April. Or see our downloadable resources below to help us spread the word.
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Downloadable resources hub
Youth cancer is too serious to stay quiet about. This April, you can help change that.
Download our free Youth Cancer Awareness Month resources and show your support at work, online, and everywhere in between. Every share, every post, every Zoom call with our background is one more person who learns that youth cancer is real, it's rising, and it demands attention.
Resources available include:
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Social media tiles
Ready-to-post graphics for Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn. Use the suggested captions below to spread the word.
Posters
Print and display in your workplace, gym, school or GP waiting room. Awareness starts with a glance.
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Zoom & Teams background
Take Youth Cancer Awareness Month into every meeting this April. A simple way to start conversations that matter.
Logos
Canteen and Youth Cancer Awareness Month logos for newsletters, events or internal comms. Available in multiple formats.
Suggested social media captions
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Caption 1 · Short & punchy
Youth cancer is rising. This April, I'm helping change that.
#YCAM #YouthCancerAwarenessMonth #Canteen
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Caption 2 · Stat-led
Did you know youth cancers have risen 50% since the 1980s? That's not a blip, it's a trend. This April is Youth Cancer Awareness Month, and it's time more Australians knew.
#YCAM #YouthCancerAwarenessMonth #Canteen
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Caption 3 · Human & personal
Cancer isn't something most of us associate with teenagers. But around 1,300 young Australians are diagnosed every year. This April, I'm sharing because awareness is the first step.
#YCAM #YouthCancerAwarenessMonth #Canteen
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Caption 4 · Bold & urgent
Too young. Too serious. Too urgent. Youth Cancer Awareness Month starts now. And I'm showing up for it.
#YCAM #YouthCancerAwarenessMonth #Canteen
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Media and information
Youth cancer is one of Australia's most urgent and under-reported health stories. We welcome media inquiries and can facilitate interviews across the full month of April.
We have a range of spokespeople available for interview, including clinical experts, Canteen's CEO, and young Australians with lived experience of youth cancer.
Young people with lived experience
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Ben, 22: Diagnosed at 17 with alveolar rhabdomyosarcoma after dismissing a lump on his foot during Year 11 exams. Ben has faced extensive chemotherapy, a below-knee amputation, an above-knee amputation, and further surgery. A passionate advocate for youth cancer patients and Youth Cancer Services.
Holly, 24: Diagnosed at 17 with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukaemia after symptoms were brushed off as typical teenage tiredness. Treatment forced her to drop out of high school. Five close friends she made during treatment died from their cancers. Holly is now in remission and credits advances in research and clinical trials with saving her life.
Rianna, 23: Diagnosed at 17 with Medulloblastoma brain cancer following years of misdiagnosed symptoms. A talented dancer and sportswoman, Rianna underwent surgery and chemotherapy and now serves as an Observer Director on Canteen's Board.
Clinical spokespeople
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Dr Prasad Cooray: Melbourne-based medical oncologist and founder of Yarra Oncology, with a clinical focus on gastrointestinal malignancies and a particular expertise in early-onset bowel cancer. Available to speak to the rising incidence of young-onset bowel cancer and why it is a biologically distinct disease.
Dr Vivek Bhadri: Adolescent medical oncologist and lead of Youth Cancer Services across the Westmead and Camperdown campuses in Sydney. Available to speak to age-appropriate cancer care, sarcoma in young people, and the case for specialist Youth Cancer Services.
Dr Toni Lindsay: Clinical psychologist with specialist expertise in youth cancer patients. Available to speak to the psychological impact of cancer on young people, the hidden struggle after treatment ends, and the long-term mental health consequences of a youth cancer diagnosis.
Canteen
Siona Hardy, CEO, Canteen Australia: Available to speak to the urgency of the youth cancer crisis, the human and economic cost of diagnosis, and the case for sustained federal funding for Youth Cancer Services.
Other young people impacted by cancer
Canteen supports thousands of young Australians affected by cancer — not only those diagnosed themselves, but young people who have had a parent, sibling or someone close to them diagnosed. Additional talent with lived experience is available on request.
Media contact
For interview requests, media assets, and further information:
Louise Stewart, 0421 584 155, louise.stewart@canteen.org.au
For general enquiries: communications@canteen.org.au
FAQs
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Title
What is Youth Cancer Awareness Month?
Description
Youth Cancer Awareness Month is Canteen's annual campaign held every April to raise awareness of cancer in young Australians aged 15–25. It aims to fund better services, drive policy change, and ensure that no young person faces cancer without the right support around them.
Title
How common is cancer in young Australians?
Description
Around 1,300 Australians aged 15–25 are diagnosed with cancer every year. Youth cancer diagnoses have risen 50% since the 1980s. And bowel cancer in young Australians has increased by up to 270%. Despite this, youth cancer remains under-researched and under-recognised as a distinct medical and social challenge.
Title
Why do young people with cancer need specialist support?
Description
Young people aged 15–25 fall into a gap in the health system — too old for children's services, too young for adult cancer services. Evidence shows that age-appropriate specialist care improves both survival rates and long-term wellbeing. Canteen-funded Youth Cancer Services exist to fill this gap, but funding is not keeping pace with growing need.
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What is the financial impact of a youth cancer diagnosis?
Description
The lifetime cost of a youth cancer diagnosis is estimated at $1.3 million per person. With 1,300 young Australians diagnosed every year, the cumulative economic and human cost is significant.
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How can I get involved or support the Youth Cancer Awareness Month?
Description
There are a few ways to help. You can donate to Canteen to support young Australians affected by cancer, or share the campaign on social media using the hashtags #YCAM, #YouthCancerAwarenessMonth, and #Canteen. Free downloadable resources - including social media tiles, posters, and Zoom backgrounds - are also available.