Let’s face it, being told you have cancer at any time isn’t exactly great but at your age it can come as a hefty shock, to say the least. To get rid of your cancer you’ll have some pretty nasty treatment and it will disrupt your life. But it’s not all bad news. The outlook for a young person with a blood cancer is very promising:

• Most people your age recover fully from their blood cancer 
• Your age means your body can cope better with the high doses of drugs needed to kill the cancer
  
• There are many Australians who have been cured of their blood cancers and continue to lead very normal lives post treatment.

So, your future is bright but you have some tough times ahead. Staying positive is the best thing you can do. There is no doubt that this will help you cope with the physical and emotional stress of your treatment. Talking to other people about their experiences and what helped them during their cancer journey may also be useful. In the following practical advice sections you’ll find information which may assist you both during and after treatment and with day to day life.

• Treatment
• Tests and scans
  
• Side effects
• Diet and nutrition
• Exercise
  
• Sex and fertility
• Relationships with family and friends
• Facing a blood cancer alone
• Education and work
• Alcohol and Drugs
• The future
• Survivorship