About
The 15-40 Connection was born out of an alarming statistic. It is one that has cut lives short and impacted many hundreds of thousands. Nearly 70,000 15 to 40-year-olds in the United States are diagnosed with cancer every year. Yet, cancer survival rates for this age group have been nearly stagnant since 1975.
How can this be true? When an ache, pain, or fatigue does not go away 15 to 40-year-olds typically wait, and then wait some more for it to resolve itself. They attribute the change in their health to stress or feel that calling a doctor is over-reacting. What they do not know is the most obvious sign of cancer is an often subtle change in your normal health. Time spent waiting for these issues to resolve themselves provides cancer with time to progress. Cancer is much more difficult to treat at more advanced stages. This is a major contributor to this alarming statistic.
The 15-40 Connection is dedicated to creating a world where "invincible" adolescents and young adults take their medical care and cancer screenings seriously. Motivating teens and young adults to take action when they notice changes in their normal health and to be strong self-advocates when their instincts tell them something is wrong will save lives and improve cancer survival rates.
Do you know the common signs and symptoms of cancer? Early detection is key to improving cancer survival rates. Learn more.