It's hard enough having cancer as an adolescent or young adult, but what about its financial impact?

The financial challenges of the author as a young adult were discussed. These costs were further made worse because of a second cancer diagnosis and treatment only a few years later. The health matters and their economic burden occurred while in college, which also presented a significant cost. This "survivor perspective" also goes on to describe a valuable resource for financial toxicity developed by the author as a way to truly pay it forward: The SAMFund (now part of Expect Miracles Foundation). The author describes the financial strain of other young adult cancer survivors who actually received funding from her organization. Samantha then discusses a "second wave" of costs that go beyond the acute costs of treatment. These are the persistent costs related to cancer survivorship. This 25-year cancer survivor provides a personal perspective on the long-term financial impact of cancer in those with a history of cancer as an adolescent or young adult.