Stanford Adolescent and Young Adult Cancer (SAYAC) Program

Since healthcare organizations commonly design their care for either children or adults, the unique needs of teens and young adults are often not met. Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital Stanford and Stanford Health Care have created the Stanford Adolescent and Young Adult Cancer (SAYAC) Program to provide a holistic approach for adolescents, teens and young adults ages 15-29 with all types of cancer to help meet these needs.

The SAYAC Cancer Program is a part of the Bass Center and NCI-designated Stanford Cancer Institute, which provides patients access to cutting-edge clinical trials and research being conducted at Stanford. Through effective care coordination and innovative treatments, our patients experience improved physical, mental and emotional well-being.

The program brings together Stanford experts to deliver personalized care in a unique environment that caters to the specific needs of the adolescent and young adult age group. Our team provides care and coordination of the following services:

SAYAC Care Model Goals

• Cancer Treatment: Treatment planning, enrollment in clinical trials, long-term survivor care
• Adolescent and Internal Medicine: General medicine, psychiatric medical management, sexual health
• Supportive Care: Acupuncture, yoga, reiki, meditation, spiritual care, nutrition support, mindfulness classes
• Recreational Therapy: Child Life services, external partner programs
• Fertility and Reproductive Health: Family planning, fertility preservation, sexual health
• Psychology and Psychiatry: Mental health services
• Pain Management: Pharmacologic/non-pharmacologic management, symptom management
• Palliative Care: Medical and family planning, spiritual support through tough decision-making
• Career/Education: Assisting with career and educational goals