Adolescents and Young Adults Cancer Foundation
San Antonio
AYA Foundation San Antonio is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit advocacy organization based in San Antonio, Texas. We are a diverse group of physicians, other medical professionals, students, and public advocates working to empower Adolescents & Young Adults to fight Cancer.
AYAs Speak
"AYA Foundation has helped me lift a huge weight off my shoulders by providing financial relief. Prior to my diagnosis I was working and attending school which helped pay for my living expenses. However, I had to quit my job and medically withdraw from college spring of my junior year. I’m still unemployed and have had a tough time getting approved for SSI. With all my medical expenses and only my mom’s income, it has been hard for my family to make ends meet. The AYA Foundation was gracious enough to help pay one of the utility bills that we were 2 months behind on. I am very thankful that the AYA Cancer Foundation and people like Dr. Estrada and his team exist. Through them, I was able to receive the help I needed."
- Ana
"My name is Maya Linville, and I'm a 16 year old cancer patient. I was recently diagnosed with Hodgkin's Lymphoma, and fortunately, had enough time before starting treatment to undergo an egg retrieval! Not only that, but due to the AYA, the grant helped alleviate the additional financial stress on my family.
With the diagnosis alone, I already felt sick and extremely anxious. Learning that infertility was a possibility with chemotherapy treatment just added to the building sense of worry, defeat, and fearfulness. I didn't want to lose the choice to have children, especially at such a young age.
Learning that organizations based in San Antonio could offer medical and financial support was extremely relieving. The news gave me hope and helped quench some of the panic. That is why I wanted to write to you and the AYA organization to express my unending gratitude. Thank you so much for the dedication of you and your team!! The AYA's mission towards protecting the fertility of recently diagnosed young adults is exceedingly important.
- Maya
"Hello I am Kathrine, I am 28 years old and was diagnosed with a rare ovarian cancer called an Immature Teratoma. I was diagnosed on 12/19 after feeling constipation for over a week. I went to the ER and they found a 18cm mass on my left ovary. I had surgery to remove the mass, my left ovary and fallopian tube. I sadly did not have insurance at this time to cover any of the surgery or hospital visit. This has been weighing on me and now having started chemo for 3 weeks now I was in financial hardship. I was able to find the AYA foundation by searching the web to help. They were the only foundation not closed for help and I was able to apply and I heard back in an amazing time frame. AYA foundation has helped me tremendously by giving me a grant to help with the financial pressure I was stressing about. This foundation has given me a breather and has lifted my spirits tremendously. I don't know what I would do without them."
"Hello I'm David I'm 33 at the age of 25 I was diagnosed with Osteosarcoma (Bone Cancer) on my left pelvis. Due to the damage done to the area my left leg had to be amputated. Due to the surgery and treatment I'm still here. I'm thankful for this as I get to spend more time with my friends and family on this earth. I have had re-occurrences which causes financial strains.. Even though I'm frugal with my expenses there are times when I need to spend on things I may need in order to help with my quality of life and just recently I am in need of a new wheelchair as I'm not as thin as I used to be at 25.. As some of you may know medical equipment isn't the most affordable thing so I'm very grateful that during this time of need The AYA Foundation of San Antonio has been able to provide me with much needed help. Now I will be able to sit appropriate and enjoy going out more as I will be able to be comfortable in my outings and when I go for my doctor appointments!"
"I want to express my deepest gratitude to the AYA Foundation from the bottom of my heart and the hearts of my family. As a third-year nursing student, I never expected to find myself on the receiving end of patient care. When I received the devastating diagnosis of Chronic Myeloid Leukemia during a routine check-up, my life changed in an instant. Despite feeling completely healthy, I had to confront the reality of this illness and the challenging treatment that lay ahead. On top of that, I had to face the uncertainty of my future fertility and the dream of becoming a mother someday.
In this difficult time, I found myself working as a nanny, surrounded by the joy of children. The thought of not being able to have my own family in the future was heartbreaking. It was my oncologist who recommended fertility preservation, but I soon discovered that my insurance did not cover the cost, which was exorbitant. With the urgency of the situation, I felt overwhelmed and unsure of how I would ever afford the necessary treatment.
However, through a stroke of luck, I was blessed with the contact information for the AYA Foundation, led by the compassionate Dr. Jaime Estrada, MD. Dr. Estrada became an angel to me and my family, offering guidance and support every step of the way. He took the time to explain the grant application process and connected me with fertility specialists and valuable resources. His dedication and efforts were instrumental in helping me obtain the treatment I so desperately needed and had prayed for.
As a young adult just beginning my journey into adulthood, cancer hit me like a ton of bricks. It brought with it overwhelming hardships, both financially and emotionally. The AYA Foundation has been a lifeline in my darkest moments, providing unwavering support and understanding to young adults and adolescents in our community. I am forever grateful to this incredible organization that has shown such compassion and generosity. Thank you, AYA Foundation, for making a difference in the lives of those who need it most"
-Rebecka
"My name is Sarah
Diagnosed with ALL (acute lymphoblastic Leukemia in September 2022, and have been a survivor since 2023. It's been a long road. It took me several doctors and going to another city to find out I had leukemia. And I have been through so much these past 2 years. Chemo and radiation were brutal and harsh on my body. When the nurse removed my PICC line after my first round of chemotherapy, I went into septic shock 2 days later and was in the ICU for 5 days. I thought I was going to die. But I survived that, and did more chemotherapy. I finally got my bone marrow transplant with a 100% match, who was anonymous, but that procedure was harder than receiving chemotherapy. I obtained graph versus host disease rash everywhere, and I was so weak that I had to learn to walk again without falling. I went from being able to walk on my own to using a walker and cane. Now I'm a little bit stronger, but I have also given up a lot of things because of this leukemia journey. I had to stop working with kids, which I loved, because the doctor recommended that it was not good for my immune system. I am very grateful to the AYA Cancer Foundation for helping me with grants. I was able to use it for gas to get to my appointments and fix my car. Without their help, I would not have been able to get transportation back and forth to see my physician."