CANSA TLC (Tough Living with Cancer) has opened CANSA’s second dedicated AYA (Adolescent and Young Adult) room at the CANSA Olea Katleho Care Home in Bloemfontein, providing an age-appropriate, supportive environment for young cancer patients up to the age of 24.

The first AYA room was opened at the CANSA TLC Care Home in Tygerberg, Cape Town, in 2020.

The AYA rooms create a dedicated space that recognises the specific needs of teenagers and young adults undergoing cancer treatment.

For many young people, cancer treatment comes at a critical stage of life, when they are developing independence, managing studies or early work responsibilities, and navigating friendships, identity and family relationships.

The AYA room has been designed to feel less clinical and more supportive, with décor and practical features suited to this age group. The space includes a study nook to help young patients continue with schoolwork or studies while undergoing treatment, as well as a more private and dignified environment for rest, conversation and emotional support.

Caregivers are also Hosted

The room also allows for a caregiver to stay overnight, helping to reduce anxiety and provide continuity of care. This is especially important for young adults over the age of 18, who may be legally independent but still rely strongly on the presence and support of a parent, guardian or close caregiver during treatment.

“Teenagers and young adults with cancer often fall between paediatric and adult care environments,” says Anina Meiring, CANSA Service Manager: Childhood Cancer. “They are no longer small children, but they are also not fully independent adults.

Creating a space specifically for them helps them feel seen, respected and supported at a very difficult time in their lives.” Creating a Warmer Space The room was revamped with the time, effort and interior execution of architect and a CANSA TLC volunteer, Johanette Straus, who played a key role in transforming the space into a warmer, more appropriate environment for young patients.

Meiring explains that the initiative fills a long-standing gap in adolescent and young adult cancer care and sets an important precedent for future support.

“An age-appropriate environment is not simply about décor. It is about dignity, privacy, independence and belonging. These factors all contribute to emotional well-being during treatment.”

The first young patient is already staying in the newly completed room.

CANSA TLC hopes the AYA room will help create greater awareness of the needs of young cancer patients and the importance of designing care environments that support not only medical treatment, but the whole person.