Webinar Recording - What You Say Matters: Cancer Communication with Young Adults

 Recorded on: October 7, 2026

Caring for adolescents and young adults with cancer means meeting patients at a particularly complex and often unpredictable stage of life. It requires communication that recognizes who they are and what makes their cancer experience unique. For AYAs, cancer often collides with a uniquely complex stage of life, one shaped by growing independence, shifting relationships, identity exploration and discovery, school or careers, family building, and plans for the future. This presentation will explore what it takes to move past simply delivering information and toward communication that builds trust, connection, and meaningful engagement that extends beyond the treatment setting. Through practical examples and real-world strategies, healthcare providers will gain skills they can bring into their everyday interactions with AYAs.

Purpose:

1. Define the adolescent and young adult (AYA) cancer population by describing key developmental, psychosocial, and life-stage factors that make their cancer care needs unique.
2. Explain the importance of effective, age-appropriate communication in AYA cancer care and identify ways communication can impact trust, engagement, and improve the overall care experience.
3. Acquire Tangible communication techniques and strategies to build connection, foster meaningful conversations, and communicate more effectively with AYAs with cancer.

Speakers:

• Kayla Fulginiti, MSW, LCSW, OSW-C, Senior Director, Elephants and Tea, United States
• Betty Roggenkamp, MSHC, AYA Program Development Strategist, Teen Cancer America. 

Moderator:

• Adrian Pogacian, PhD, Founder INCKA Psycho-oncology Center, Clinical Psychologist

• FREE for IPOS members
• $10 USD for non-member from Low-to-middle income countries (LMIC)
• $20 USD for all other non-members