Family Support
Most participants endorsed family financial support as critical to
navigating cancer treatment for the AYA. Families often shared
responsibilities for financial support evenly, or split duties by having
one family member maintain employment and work extra hours while another
took on a role as primary caregiver to the AYA. Family definitions
varied, sometimes including only those living in the household and other
times encompassing extended family. Participants mentionedbrother-in-law and uncle in conversations about who helped
them when “tight at times”. AYAs frequently mentioned the desire to be
employed to support their family’s financial needs. For many
participants, a major focus of family financial support was to cover the
rent or mortgage.
Participants also described how their families made collective financial
decisions. Most reported that finances were discussed as a family to
ensure there was a plan to cover costs from the AYA’s cancer treatment
and related expenses. Most caregivers emphasized that, while finances
were discussed with the AYA, they preferred to manage finances, allowing
the AYA to focus on cancer treatment. Most AYAs were aware of their
family’s financial circumstances, a finding similarly endorsed by
participating caregivers.
Caregivers often mentioned that family emotional support was critical to
managing financial stresses and worries. Some caregivers cited their
religion and faith as a support, providing them with hope that all
aspects of their AYA’s treatment would work out, including the finances.
For AYAs, emotional resilience was often tied to their ability to return
to work and contribute to the family finances.