Young Adult Survivors United (YASU) is a Pittsburgh-based nonprofit that makes sure no young adult faces cancer alone. Cancer in a person’s 20s and 30s hits differently—it collides with college, first careers, new marriages, and raising young kids. YASU’s founder learned that firsthand when a leukemia diagnosis came as a college junior. Since launching in 2020, YASU has become the community young adults with cancer and their caregivers turn to, from diagnosis through every stage of survivorship.

YASU’s programs meet real, everyday needs:

• Financial Assistance: Grants of up to $750 for rent, utilities, groceries, or gas, because cancer is expensive.
• Rae of Hope: Free respite getaways, from spa nights to family trips, created in memory of Raelene Lauer, who died of breast cancer at 32.
• Supportive Chats & Socials: Peer support and fun outings, in person and virtual.
• Distribution Days: Household essentials and toiletries for members.
• Free Cosmetic Services & Integrative Oncology: Complimentary wellness and integrative care through partner providers, offering holistic relief that insurance doesn’t cover.

The impact is personal. Members describe Rae of Hope trips as their first real break in years, and a chance to make memories with their kids after treatment. Partnering with YASU puts brands next to a passionate, engaged community and a cause people rally around—from its Pittsburgh Marathon team to Wig Out, its signature Halloween benefit, giving partners meaningful, visible ways to show up for young adults when they need it most. YASU: Community. Connection. Hope.

About Young Adult Survivors United

Young Adult Survivors United serves young adults impacted by cancer and their caregivers with a compassionate community that promotes connection, well-being, and resilience at every stage of the journey.

Programs & Impact

What began as one survivor’s support group has grown into a community of more than 1,600 young adults with cancer and their caregivers, up from 100 members in 2020. Projects behind that growth include:

• Financial Assistance: YASU has granted over $250,000 in five years, with $72,750 in 2025 alone, toward mortgage/rent, utilities, and basic needs. Approved applications have more than quadrupled, and 70% of recipients said they felt less stressed after receiving a grant.
• Rae of Hope: This program started with a single respite trip in 2021 and sent 30 families on free getaways in 2025, giving survivors a break from treatment and time to make memories with the people they love.
• Young Adult Cancer Camp: At its 5th annual camp, 100 participants came from 23 states. Every camper said they’d recommend it to a friend, and 94% felt more connected to the young adult cancer community afterward.
• Support & Wellness: In 2025, YASU ran 69 in-person and virtual support groups, 39 social programs, and a Women’s Wellness Retreat for 50 women. Distribution Days delivered 257 bags of household essentials. Through partner iZORA, 72 members have received free microblading, worth $50,400 in services, to help restore their confidence.
• Research Registry: YASU enrolled 192 participants in one of the few long-term studies of young adult survivors’ emotional, social, and financial needs. The work won “Best Poster” at the 2026 American Psychosocial Oncology Society conference.
• Wig Out: Pittsburgh’s largest Halloween celebration drew 600+ guests in 2025, raising funds and putting survivors in the spotlight onstage. With 25+ community partners, including Brentwood Bank, UPMC Hillman Cancer Center, Vitalant, and 100.7 Star Pittsburgh, YASU turns support into measurable, lasting impact.

Get Involved

There’s a place for everyone at YASU, and every hour given makes a real difference for young adults facing cancer. Readers can:

• Volunteer in YASU’s office in Wexford, helping behind the scenes to keep programs running.
• Lend a hand at major events like Wig Out, the Pittsburgh Marathon expo, or its Golf Outing.
• Join a host committee and help plan and promote signature events in the months before they happen.
• Host a Distribution Day drive at a workplace, school, or community group to collect household essentials and toiletries.
• Collect gift cards for groceries and gas, which go directly to members facing financial strain.

To get involved, visit yasurvivors.org/get-involved.

How Support Helps

Every dollar goes straight to the young adults and caregivers YASU serves. In 2025, donations funded three core areas:

• Financial Assistance (46%): Grants for rent, utilities, groceries, and gas, so survivors can focus on healing instead of bills. Seventy percent of recipients reported feeling less stressed after receiving a grant.
• Social & Wellness Programs (33%): Support groups, social outings, wellness retreats, and educational seminars that remind members they’re not alone.
• Rae of Hope Respite Trips (21%): Free getaways that give families a break from treatment and time to make memories together.

A gift can cover a family’s utility bill, fill a bag of household essentials, or send a survivor on their first trip in years. Together, YASU and its supporters have granted over $250,000 in five years, and every donation helps reach the next young adult who needs support.

To donate, visit yasurvivors.org/donate/.

Story and Photography by Young Adult Survivors United

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