If you are a St James’s Hospital patient aged 16-24 who has had a cancer diagnosis, you can ask your primary care team to refer you to our service.
Your Treatment & Care:
The Adolescent and Young Adult (AYA) Cancer Service, part of the HOPe Directorate Service at St James’s Hospital, aims to provide specialised supports for patients aged 16-24 who have had a cancer diagnosis. International research shows that AYAs experience challenges related to cancer differently to their paediatric and adult counterparts; including access to clinical trials, fertility considerations, transition to survivorship care, psychosocial support and progression with life goals and pursuits. We work with primary clinical teams providing treatment for AYAs at St James’s and provide supports with a developmentally appropriate focus and with the young person’s specific needs at its centre.
The team operates in the Haematology/Oncology Dayward in the main hospital fostering collaboration between clinicians and helping to intergrate the response to AYAs with a cancer diagnosis. There is a weekly outpatient clinic for St James’s patients along with inpatient ward rounds.
The AYA Cancer Service strives to give patients access to a broad range of supports that are tailored to their specific needs including links to extra peer supports outside of a clinical setting.
The AYA team perform a HEEADSSS assessment on patients, which is a psychosocial interview framework designed for AYAs. It covers key areas; Home, Education, Eating, Activities, Drugs, Sexuality, Suicide/Depression, and Safety. This structured approach helps to identify psychosocial stressors affecting AYAs diagnosed with cancer, enabling tailored support and intervention strategies.
Ms Joy Lewis is one of our AYA Clinical Nurse Specialists working between St James’s primarily, and Children’s Health Ireland. Joy is on site in St James’s Hospital Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays.
Louise Kelly is the Data Manager and MDM Co-ordinator for the AYA team and provides the first point of contact for many patients and their families and serves as a link for referrers.
Ms Joanne O’Mahony is an AYA Clinical Nurse Specialist working between Children’s Health Ireland primarily, and is on site in St James’s Hospital every Wednesday.
Cairenn McDonnell is our AYA Social Worker working between Children’s Health Ireland primarily and is on site in St James’s Hospital on Wednesdays and liaises with the Social Work Team.
Clinical Professor Larry Bacon MB MRCPI FRCPath Ph.D. is the Clinical Lead for the AYA Cancer Service at St James’s Hospital. He is a clinical and laboratory haematologist with a special intereset in lymphoma, acute lymphoblastic leukaemia, bone marrow transplantation (BMT) and chimeric antigen receptor T cell (CAR T) therapy.
Dr Scheryll Alken MB BCh BAO MRCPI is a Consultant Medical Oncologist with a special interest in AYA Cancer. Scheryll works between Children’s Health Ireland and St James’s Hospital and is on site in St James’s on Wednesdays.
Dr Peter McCarthy MRCPCH FCRPath is a Consultant Heamatologist with a special interest in AYA Cancer. Peter works between Children’s Health Ireland and St James’s Hospital and is on site in St James’s on Wednesdays.
Patients are referred to the AYA Cancer Service by their treating cancer team, who will contact the service directly. They will then be seen either in the dedicated outpatient clinic or as an inpatient depending on the treatment they are receving.
If you would like to refer an AYA patient to be discussed at one of our weekly National MDMs please refer via ayamdm@healthmail.ie. For more information on the National AYA MDM please visit the link below where you will also find our Referral Proforma:
Ms Louise Kelly MDM Co-ordinator & Data Manager
Email: LouKelly@stjames.ie
Tel: 01 415 1170
Ms Joy Lewis CNS
Email: Jlewis@stjames.ie
Tel: 0877685000 (Mon, Tues, Wed, Fri)
Haematology/Oncology Dayward, first floor, main hospital (HODC2)