Increasing numbers of younger cancer patients in Southland are seeking help from the Cancer Society, with bowel and breast cancer numbers up, melanoma “huge”, and staff also seeing more rare cancers like sarcomas in young people.

Southern Cancer Society quality and improvement partner in Southland Helen Stephens says they’re definitely supporting increasing numbers of younger people.

“We’ve been supporting a 28-year-old with breast cancer which we’d not normally see and quite a lot of women in their 20s,” she says.

“People we see are usually older.”

Bowel cancer is becoming more prevalent in younger people in their 20s in the south too, Southland renowned for having the highest rates of that in NZ, even when compared with the rest of the world, she says.

There are increasing financial pressures associated for younger patients and families with many Southland patients needing to travel to Dunedin or Christchurch for treatment.

“That means time off work and someone to care for the children too,” she says.

“We’ve definitely seen a lot more young people needing financial help, especially if they’re working and have young children,” Stephens says.

Working young New Zealanders struggling with the financial burden of cancer is huge, with the logistics of managing a young family, and Southland is no exception.

“Finance is a big burden given the current landscape and we’re seeing it more and more, people trying to manage family life.”

The growth in younger cancer cases is unfortunately a national and international trend and the society’s southern head of cancer services Craig Watson says they’re definitely experiencing increased demand with so many under 50s being diagnosed now.

It’s caused a rethink as to how the society offers its support – a new online portal launched recently specifically created for younger patients needing support.

“Sadly, the growth in under 50s with cancer is greater than the over 50s now,” Watson says.

The society is seeing a lot more younger families from around the South Island presenting at the new Christchurch Canterbury Cancer Centre which is now catering for increasing numbers of children coming to stay while younger parents have treatment.

“We had eight children staying with their families, some from the south, during the last school holidays,” he says.

“While we welcome children it’s very sad that their much younger parents are being treated for cancer.”

Stephens says with more younger people being diagnosed they don’t tend to ring on the phone the same so they’re hoping the online portal will get some good uptake.

“We’re definitely here and available for people with resources, advice, help with accommodation and travel,” she says.

Launched in late November the online tool has been created in response to demand from patients asking for greater choice as to how and what time they can access support.

“People can now book directly online for a cancer navigator and choose who they’d like to see with all the profiles online, information and videos,” Stephens says.

“It’s been a long time coming but we now have a one stop shop which makes our services much more accessible to younger people and offers them more choice.”

The society has set up support groups too in Invercargill, Te Anau and Gore.

“People, especially younger people, can feel isolated and it’s very good to have that peer support, especially for those under 30 and 40 years,” she says.

“We’re seeing quite a lot more patients in their 20s.”

Stephens says they need more awareness about what help is out there and the online portal will be a great help to younger patients.

Society staff are there to help patients of any age navigate the health system.

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