Building Community Close to Home for Young Adults with Cancer
Aug 25, 2026
Read Time: 4 Minutes
The Huntsman-Intermountain Adolescent and Young Adult (HIAYA) Program's Young Adult Connections group photo.
Takeaways: The Huntsman-Intermountain Adolescent and Young Adult Cancer Care Program hosts events that help young adults impacted by cancer build connections and find support.The program is expanding its reach across the Mountain West by collaborating with local organizations and communities. Impact: Huntsman Cancer Institute helps young adults impacted by cancer build meaningful connections and community closer to home.
When a young person with cancer was invited to a virtual event hosted by Huntsman Cancer Institute at the University of Utah, she hesitated."Everything and everyone is up there," she said, referring to Salt Lake City, about a four-hour drive from where she lives in St. George, Utah. "That's where the community is."For Karlie Gray, MS, CCLS, program manager for the Huntsman-Intermountain Adolescent and Young Adult (HIAYA) Cancer Care Program and a patient navigator at Huntsman Cancer Institute, the young woman’s comment stuck with her. It highlighted a challenge many young adults across the Mountain West face. While support and connection opportunities exist, distance, particularly for those living in rural and frontier areas, can make them feel out of reach."Her comment made complete sense," Gray says. "It sparked this passion in me for bringing events closer to where patients live.”
Collaborating with Community Organizations
In early 2026, the HIAYA Program was awarded a Teen Cancer America community-building grant to help expand the reach of these efforts. The grant supports the program's goal of bringing the HIAYA peer support community closer to young adults living in rural and frontier areas throughout the Mountain West.Working with affiliate hospitals, local nonprofits, and cancer coalitions, the program has expanded events into communities including Las Vegas, Nevada; Reno, Nevada; Bozeman, Montana; and Jackson, Wyoming, while continuing its regular virtual and in-person programming.A key part of the effort is ensuring that each event reflects the needs of the community it serves. Patients who live in those communities help plan events through local patient committees, alongside community organizations who provide input and help connect young adults with local resources."The whole goal is to build community where people are," Gray says. "That means offering different types of events, different locations, and both virtual and in-person options. What helps one person connect may be different from what helps someone else."Young Adult Connections events take many forms. Some involve activities like rock climbing, golf, art projects, or planting succulents. Others focus on sharing a meal, spending time outdoors, or simply creating space for conversation.Jesse, a HIAYA member who has attended multiple events, says those opportunities to connect with others who share similar experiences can make a meaningful difference."As a survivor, I think it is important to have a dedicated space where people just get it, where you don't need to explain what you've been through and feel seen for all the complexities that you've been through," Jesse says.
"We want young adults to know there is a community for them, not just in one place, but wherever they are."
Looking Ahead
Gray says HIAYA will continue working to expand opportunities for connection across the Mountain West. A retreat planned for fall 2026 will bring together young adults from across the region to build relationships, share experiences, and strengthen the community that has grown through Young Adult Connections.For some participants, like the young woman from St. George, having events closer to home has made all the difference.After telling Gray that "everything and everyone" seemed to be in Salt Lake City, she eventually attended Young Adult Connections events closer to home. She became deeply involved in the group, helping plan events in Southern Utah while remaining an active participant herself.For Gray, seeing patients help build the very community they once felt disconnected from is a reminder of why the work matters."We want young adults to know there is a community for them," Gray says. "Not just in one place, but wherever they are."
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