Cancer patients under 40 get different supports, different care

Research, diagnosis and treatment of cancer are different when patients are younger. A new Duke program is bringing those things together to offer a different kind of support.
Posted 10/31/2025, 10:14:40 PM Updated 10/31/2025, 11:00:08 PM

YOUNG PEOPLE ARE BEING

DIAGNOSED WITH CANCER AT HIGHER

RATES THAN EVER BEFORE. THIS IS

AN ISSUE THAT WRAL ANALYZED IN

OUR DOCUMENTARY DIAGNOSIS

YOUNG, THE NEW FACE OF CANCER

IN NORTH CAROLINA. A NEW DUKE

HEALTH PROGRAM NOW IS WORKING

TO ADDRESS THE UNIQUE NEEDS

OF YOUNG PATIENTS HEAD ON WRAL,

HEALTH REPORTER GRACE HABER

INTRODUCES US TO THE PROGRAM

MEETING PATIENTS RIGHT WHERE

THEY ARE.

>> HER JOURNEY BEGAN AS A

PREVENTATIVE ONE. MY DAD HAD

PROSTATE CANCER AND HE ENDED UP

BEING POSITIVE FOR A BR CA 2

AND 2 AFTER 2 HEALTH NURSE

SPECIALIZING IN CANCER CARE

CENTER HAVE THE SAME MUTATION.

KIMBERLY ROSS HAD A PLAN FROM

THE WE KNEW THAT I WANT TO DO

A DOUBLE MASTECTOMY SURGERY,

PREPARATIONS INVOLVED,

MAMMOGRAMS AND MRIS. ALL COMING

BACK. CLEAN UNTIL A SCAN.

JUST 2 WEEKS BEFORE SURGERY.

THAT AND WE FOUND THE AND SMALL

TUMOR IN MY RIGHT I THINK I WAS

IN COMPLETE SHOCK. I DIDN'T

KNOW WHAT TO THINK OR WHAT TO

FEEL AT. 35, RIGHT. THIS IS ONE

OF THE NURSES CALLING FROM THE

DID CANCER CENTER. THE NURSE

TURNED PATIENT FOUND HERSELF

PART OF AN ALARMING STATISTIC.

ANOTHER YOUNG ADULT DIAGNOSED

WITH CANCER. I REMEMBER MY LIKE

WITHIN THE FIRST FEW MONTHS IN

THE STARTING AT 2 GUY SAW 21

YEAR-OLD PATIENT WITH CANCER,

DR. ROSIE BARNES SAYS WORKING

WITH YOUNGER PATIENTS INSPIRED

HER TO CREATE SOMETHING NEW.

YOU KNOW, THAT'S JUST

DIFFERENT. WHAT YOU WORRY ABOUT

WHEN YOU'RE 21 VERSUS 50.

THAT IDEA COMING TO LIFE IN THE

FORM OF BEYOND THE SEA.

>> BOOST AND EMPOWER YOUNG

ONSET NETWORK AT DUKE FOR

CANCER. THE NEW DUKE HEALTH

PROGRAM IS SPECIFICALLY

DESIGNED FOR CANCER PATIENTS

YOUNGER THAN 40 CONNECTING THEM

WITH RESOURCES AND RESEARCH.

WE NEED TREATMENTS THAT ARE

SPECIFIC FOR YOUNGER PATIENTS.

WE NEED COCOA TRIALS DESIGNED

AROUND THEM. IT'S AN EFFORT.

ROSS SAYS SHE'S EXCITED TO BE A

PART OF TO BETTER HELP OTHERS

LIKE HER. WHEN YOU'RE GOING

THROUGH CHEMOTHERAPY FOR

RECONSTRUCTIVE SURGERY ARE AND

THE SEC TO ME LIKE YOUR LIFE

TO A HALT TO HELP YOU TO

NAVIGATE THE I THINK THEY'LL BE

USE IN DURHAM, GRACE, TEVA,

WRAL, NEWS FOR THE FIRST TIME

THIS YEAR. WOMEN UNDER 50 WERE

FOUND TO BE AT A GREATER RISK

OF DEVELOPING CANCER THAN MEN.

>> ACCORDING TO THE AMERICAN

CANCER SOCIETY, A YOUNG WOMAN'S

© WRAL