Will Ferrell's Incredible Generosity to Young Survivors
- Will Ferrell, star of Elf and over 75 other comedies, has a long and humor-filled history of advocating for Cancer for College, a charity that gives scholarships to young survivors.
- Rates of cancer in teens and young adults are on the rise and unique from cancer in other age groups.
- Paying for cancer treatment can be a challenge, but having an advocate can make all the difference.
"I get asked to support a lot of causes, but Cancer for College is one of the purest charities I've encountered," Ferrell said in 2014. "It's a very small operation with a mom and pop feel to it, and the mission is simple. They help cancer survivors realize their college dreams."
Read MoreCancer for College was founded in 1994 by Ferrell’s friend and fraternity brother Craig Pollard, a three-time cancer survivor who founded the charity in his senior year at USC. By then, he had alright beat cancer – twice.
Since 1993, the charity has granted nearly two million dollars in scholarships to over one thousand survivors. Pollard has credited Ferrell with much of the charity’s success, even as he says more money will be needed for all the new survivors Ferrell has brought in.
"We're successful because of Will Ferrell," Pollard told The Coast News. "One problem with Will is that it increases awareness. Another problem with Will is that because of awareness more people apply."
Rising Cancer Rates in Young Adults
Pollard began his first fight with Hodgkin lymphoma at only 15 years old. Unfortunately, diagnoses like his are far from rare: rates of cancer in teenagers and young adults have risen by thirty percent over the past four decades.
Kidney, thyroid, and gastrointestinal cancer cases are rising the fastest while breast and testicular cancer remain the most common forms for women and men.
Cancer remains the leading cause of disease-related deaths in teenagers and young adults.
“Adolescents and young adults are a distinct cancer population,” Dr. Nicholas Zaorsky, assistant professor of radiation oncology and public health sciences at Penn State, said. “But they are often grouped together with pediatric or adult patients in research studies. It is important to study how this group is distinct so that care guidelines can be developed to address the increase in cases.”
Teenagers and young adults fighting cancer often find themselves facing a distinct lack of information about how they should fight the disease unique from kids or adults. These patients are also far less likely to receive care in a specialized treatment facility than children further complicating many of their battles.
Related: Changing the Game for Young Adults with Cancer: Matthew Zachary’s Story
When Mag Bujalski was diagnosed with stage four lymphoma, she searched everywhere for information about cancer in young adults like herself – to little avail.
"When I first got sick, I did what most people do and I turned to Instagram, YouTube, Google famous doctor Google," Mag told SurvivorNet. "And I noticed that there was a lot of stuff about pediatric cancer, a lot about cancers in older people, but there wasn't a lot about cancers in young adults and people my age."
Cancer as a Young Adult Is Different & In Some Ways More Complex: Survivor Mag Bujalski
Organizations like Pollard’s Cancer for College or Matthew Zachary’s Stupid Cancer are working to close this information gap and advocate for young survivors through their cancer battles and beyond.
Managing Cancer Costs
Cancer for College was founded to help survivors make their college dreams come true through generous scholarships. Pollard, like many other survivors, knew that finding a way to pay for treatments can be just as stressful as the actual cancer battle itself.
How to Get Help With the Cancer Bills
It’s uncommon for medical insurance to pay for the entirety of a person’s treatments. Your medical team can help reduce your financial burden by advocating for you to your insurance company.
Related: Paying for Cancer Find Someone Who Will Advocate For You
Clinical trials often offer patient assistance programs, and hospital social workers, patient advocacy groups, and community support can also help you through this challenging time.
"There are a wealth of organizations and opportunities to help people with the costs of cancer," said Sara Goldberger, president of the Association of Oncology Social Work (AOSW), in a previous interview with SurvivorNet.
"Obviously, it's a very deep well of need, and there's not help for everyone in every situation, but knowing to ask is so important for patients and families."
Learn more about SurvivorNet's rigorous medical review process.