Management of Adolescents and Young Adults with the DAJAC
What is the DAJAC?
The plan for Adolescents and Young Adults with Cancer, or plan DAJAC is an integrated and innovative plan implemented since 2012 jointly with the Centre Léon Bérard and the IHOPE for young people between 15 and 25.
It aims at improving the management, the follow-up and the support of cancer Adolescents and Young Adults by optimizing care quality, scientific expertise and social and psychological management. Indeed, not children anymore but not adult yet either, adolescents with cancer need a specific management on the medical part as well as on the psychosocial part.
On the medical part, it is all about coordination and specific management of this population, from the diagnostic to post cancer.
On the psychosocial part, it is to offer an adapted support to the preoccupations of AYAs thanks to strong and collaborative programs for an efficient psychological follow-up and actions towards education and employment.
To prevent education breakout, to support adolescents in a period of physical modifications related to puberty, to preserve the social bond, to think already to fertility issues for the years to come: so many central issues for which adolescents and young adults have to be supported and addressed in this plan, led by Perrine Marec Bérard a referent pediatric oncologist and Christelle Riberon a reference nurse.
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Which specific management for AYA?
Young patients from 15 to 25 can choose between a management within the hospital and the centre Léon Bérard, with adult patients or within the IHOPE. Consideration of this choice is essential and gives the adolescent or the young adult the possibility to be managed as he wishes.
Whatever his choice (pediatric or adult), the referent oncologist remains the same, for an optimal follow-up.
Multidisciplinary consultations dedicated specifically to AYA, including an adult and a pediatric oncologist pinpoint better the disease and offer adapted cares to the patient.
An environment dedicated to AYA is part of this plan.
Specific entertainments and spare time, art and design workshops thought for AYAs but also an ‘Adolescent”space within the IHOPE or an AYA dedicated space within the Centre Léon Bérard, have all been designed for them.
Appropriate Physical Activity (APA) Workshops dedicated to the 15-25 years-old or the possibility to call upon the socio beautician and the hair dresser are proposed to the young people.
Learn more about this plan dedicated to the 15-25 years-old by visiting the DAJAC site available in French only
Taking this further we propose you to read the booklet “to take care of oneself” dedicated to adolescents – available in French only
