GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — More young people are getting diagnosed with cancer than ever before, according to a recent study done by Lancet Public Health.
Margo Mitchell was only 22 years old when she got one of the worst diagnoses.
“Before you know it, I was scheduled for a biopsy, and then three weeks later I got a diagnosis," said Mitchell.
It all happened after a phone call. “They called me and they said it's anaplastic astrocytoma, grade three,” explained Mitchell.
In simpler terms, it's brain cancer. In Margo's case, its nearly inoperable. “Because of the placement of it would be too dangerous, could potentially disable me," emphasized Mitchell.
For Mary Hyzer at age 23, she got similar news. “They said they found a golf ball-sized tumor on my left side of my head," explained Hyzer.
Similar to Margo, Mary found herself in a place of isolation. The feelings of being alone, crowded with doctor visits.
“You know, friends and family are there to support, but they don't really understand," emphasized Hyzer.
Margo and Mary aren't alone. Unfortunately, they're part of a growing trend. Young people, getting diagnosed with cancer.
The study looked at people born between 2000 to 2019. It found over those 19 years, the number of cases of 8 different types of cancer increased.
“That means this cancer risk is the exposure is increasing in the younger modern age, right? Which is true, part of it is increasing," explained Dr. Al-Janadi, Department Chair and Vice President at Corewell Health.
Dr. Al-Janadi oversees the cancer care at Corewell Health. He sees, the increase of alcohol and and tobacco use as a cause of increasing cancer diagnoses.
"Increasing rates of alcohol and smoking have actually contributed to the rise of liver cancer and some type of cancer in the throat," explained Al-Janadi.
To curb this, Dr.Al-Janadi wants more people, to urge lawmakers. "We need to also urge lawmakers to say that we need to have channel funding in cancer control,” said Dr. Al-Janadi.
As the legal fight pushes forward, so do Mary and Margo.
“I don't think I would have been able to get through my experience the way that I have without meeting other young adults my age," explained Mitchell.
If you are a loved one is struggling with cancer, click here for a list of cancer groups in West Michigan.
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