All articles tagged with #young adult
A 22-year-old California mom of two noticed her ears wouldn’t pop after a flight, then developed hearing loss and throat bleeding. After months of evaluation, she was diagnosed with nasopharyngeal carcinoma, a rare cancer at the upper throat/base of the skull. She underwent chemotherapy and radiation and is finishing treatment with a hopeful prognosis, using her story to remind others that cancer can affect anyone.
A 22-year-old California woman’s ear wouldn’t pop after a May 2025 flight, triggering months of symptoms that were initially dismissed as altitude sickness. A mass blocking her nasopharynx was later diagnosed as nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC), a rare cancer in the U.S. associated with Epstein-Barr virus. After biopsies and imaging, she began chemotherapy and radiation and is nearing the end of treatment, with doctors optimistic that the cancer is shrinking and she may be cancer-free.
Prime Video released a sizzle reel detailing its summer slate of YA adaptations and romance projects, led by The Love Hypothesis starring Lili Reinhart and Tom Bateman, with other titles like Clashing Through The Snow, The Devil’s Mouth, and The Last Sunrise, plus TV entries such as Off Campus and Sterling Point. Key dates include Off Campus Season 1 on May 13, Every Year After on June 10, Elle on July 1, Sterling Point on August 5, and the Obssessed Fest fan event on June 27, with additional projects like Your Fault: London and Maxton Hall teased for future release.
A 22-year-old woman, Kayley Boda, began vaping at 15 and was diagnosed with stage-three lung cancer at 21. After initial surgery to remove half a lung and a difficult chemotherapy, cancer returned in the lungs’ pleural lining with a pleural effusion, and doctors say she has about 18 months to live. She has stopped vaping, is urging others to quit, and her family is fundraising for experimental treatment in Germany to extend her life.
A 22-year-old Manchester woman who started vaping at 15 was diagnosed with lung cancer after a persistent cough. She underwent surgery to remove part of her right lung and chemotherapy, was given the all-clear in February 2026, but the cancer returned two months later in the pleural lining, and doctors gave her 18 months to live. She blames vaping, has stopped vaping, and is warning others while raising funds for treatment.
A healthy 21-year-old from England, James Mann, was repeatedly told his dizziness and imbalance were due to vertigo or an inner-ear issue. After his mother pushed for an urgent MRI, doctors found a brain mass in November 2025. He underwent multiple surgeries, but the tumor grew back and he died in January 2026. His family is fundraising for the Brain Tumour Charity to support research and new treatments.
Emma Operacz, a 21-year-old Eastern Michigan University student, went from thinking she had a UTI to a life-threatening stage IV ALK+ anaplastic large cell lymphoma; after a difficult treatment course that included an experimental drug to cross the blood–brain barrier and a sister-donor bone marrow transplant, she spent months recovering before graduating in December 2025 and beginning a graduate program to work with cancer patients.
An 18-year-old from Wilmington, Massachusetts, named Kevin Stano, died in a car crash on Industrial Way after losing control of his vehicle and hitting a utility pole. Stano was the only person in the car at the time of the accident, and the cause of the crash is currently under investigation by multiple law enforcement agencies.
Dave Conway, a craft distiller in Columbus, Ohio, experienced exhaustion and symptoms he attributed to heat exhaustion, but it turned out to be heart failure at the age of 30. Doctors discovered that his heart was pumping only 10% of the blood, and he had a 100% blockage in a major heart artery. Despite the scarring, he made lifestyle changes, including cutting out alcohol, reducing sodium, and getting regular exercise. With the support of his family, he underwent rehabilitation and received an implantable defibrillator. Now 35, Dave has recovered, earned a degree, started a new job, and recently got married, finding true happiness and a life worth living.
Here are five summer reads perfect for star gazers, featuring stories that explore the cosmos and capture the wonder of the night sky. From a love story set in a small town with mysterious happenings to an epistolary novel about two teens navigating a dangerous space mission, these books offer a mix of mystery, whimsy, and adventure. Neil Gaiman's Stardust combines a classic fairy tale with a fallen star, while Douglas Adams' The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy provides a hilarious and thought-provoking journey through the universe. Becky Chambers' The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet introduces a multi-species crew and their interstellar adventures.
20 authors of queer young adult literature recommend their favorite LGBTQ YA books, ranging from heartfelt family sagas to electrifying thrillers. These books explore the beauty, challenges, and complexity of being queer today, and offer something for every kind of reader. Some of the recommended titles include "Like a Love Story" by Abdi Nazemian, "The Passing Playbook" by Isaac Fitzsimons, and "Cinderella Is Dead" by Kalynn Bayron.
"Cruel Summer" returns for a second season with a new mystery involving murder. The show follows two high school girls, Megan and Isabella, across three timelines as they navigate their complicated relationships with each other and the powerful people in their small town. The acting is strong, particularly from Sadie Stanley and Lexi Underwood, and the show's attention to detail in recreating the late 90s/early 2000s is impressive. While not as twisty as the first season, "Cruel Summer" remains an addictive and compelling YA mystery series.
"Crater," a sci-fi young adult space flick now playing on Disney+, is a soul-stirring escapade that introduces young audiences to ways to reform the fractured world they call home. The film deals with intense politics and real loss, and is more than just a fun adventure. It is a pro-union movie that sees festering inequality as a symptom of nefarious capitalists. While the graphics are largely passable, the film is a risk-taking, soul-stirring escapade that is too dark on a thematic level for some tweens.
Judy Blume's books, known for their frank and candid portrayals of young people, have been a cultural touchstone for generations of readers. Her enduring popularity is evident in the recent adaptations of her works for film and television. Blume's writing, which tackled taboo topics and spoke to the questions and concerns of young people, has influenced a new generation of storytellers. Her books continue to resonate with young readers today, engaging even those who otherwise haven't shown an interest in reading.
The film adaptation of Judy Blume's "Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret" is set to release on April 28, drawing attention to the author's five-decade-long fight against book bans. Book challenges in 2022 doubled from the previous year, with more bans attempted than in any year since the American Library Association began compiling data over 20 years ago. Blume's books were frequently banned in the 1980s, with "Margaret" being regarded as "sexually offensive, profane, and immoral." Blume has continued to fight against book bans and encourages people to fight for their right to read and question.