Young Adult Survivors United is inviting the community to help give young cancer survivors a helping hand through a new basic-needs donation program.
Distribution Days provides household items, toiletries and nonperishable products for members of the Pine-based nonprofit, those diagnosed with cancer between the ages of 18 to 45, according to YASU founder and executive director Stephanie Samolovitch.
She said donations are important for people in that age group, who may be in college, starting a new career or supporting a young family, and quite often, they experience huge medical costs or loss of work days.
“Young adult cancer is a real thing. Most of them need basic help,” she said. “We have people in college. We have a single parent. I see all walks of life.”
Samolovitch, 39, was diagnosed with leukemia in 2005, when she was a junior in college. She knows from experience that there aren’t very many support groups for people suffering from cancer in this stage of life, and to add on a financial burden makes it even more challenging.
She said more than 50% of YASU member applications in 2020 and 2021 indicated a need for assistance to make ends meet or for basic supplies.
The Christian Cochran Legacy Fund of the Pittsburgh Foundation is partnering with YASU to help with Distribution Days. The fund is named for a former Pine resident who died in 2021 at age 22 from a rare, incurable liver cancer, said his father, Chris Cochran.
He said his son was concerned about others like him suffering from cancer, especially those without support. Christian was a member of YASU.
“He looked forward to volunteering as a YASU ambassador, to assist other young adults learning to navigate the challenges of their post-diagnosis lives,” Chris said.
YASU’s website also refers to the program as “What’s Good about Today?” Distribution Days, something that Christian would always ask to keep up his and other people’s spirits despite what he was going through, according to his father.
Cancer survivors can pick up supplies from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. the last Saturday of each month at YASU’s office, 1000 Brooktree Road, Suite 105, Wexford.
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Requested items for donation include hand soap, dish soap, tissues, toilet paper, paper towels, hand sanitizer, laundry detergent, shampoo, conditioner, all-purpose cleaner and nonperishable items. Gift cards from local grocery and convenience stores are also greatly appreciated. A wish list can be found on Amazon.
Donations can also be dropped off at the same location. Office hours are 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Friday.
The program, which began on Jan. 27, was well-received by members.
“After the first distribution day, most of our bins are low or depleted already, which is why donations are so helpful, whether contributing or collecting at a designated location,” Samolovitch said.
She said her organization looks to expand the distribution sites, with volunteers traveling to other areas of Pittsburgh with supplies.
Samolovitch, who lives in Allison Park, was director of support at the Cancer Caring Center in the Strip District before founding YASU. She said many people don’t associate young adulthood with cancer, so it’s hard to find others with whom they can identify.
“People don’t always have a family support system, and we become their family,” said Samolovitch, who has a master’s in social work from the University of Pittsburgh.
She said she had great support from the UPMC Hillman Cancer Center in Pittsburgh when she was diagnosed, but struggled to find other people experiencing a similar situation at her age, weeks away from her 20th birthday.
Any young adult in the United States who has been diagnosed with cancer can register for a free membership to access YASU’s services, which include virtual and in-person support groups, educational speakers, wellness workshops, free counseling, social outings, free respite trips and other events. YASU also provides financial assistance grants to members in need of additional support.
Call the YASU offices for other designated locations at 724-719-2273. More information is available at www.yasurvivors.org.
Natalie Beneviat is a Trib Total Media contributing writer.