I never expected to be diagnosed with cancer at the age of 21. It’s one of those diseases that you never imagine you’ll get when you’re young until it happens to you. And I can tell you that some movies and TV shows are way more honest than others about how it feels to get cancer as a young person (meaning anything from infancy and childhood up to the age of 30). But some on-screen depictions do get into the raw and difficult reality of what facing this illness means for a young person.
Of course, the experiences of a young child are very different from those of a teenager, and those are very different from the experiences of a twenty-something young adult. But it is shocking that, despite so many advances in medicine and science, cancer can still happen to anyone. Nobody — young or old — should have to go through such a horrific illness, let alone lose their life because of it. If the cure for cancer were found in our lifetime, the world would be such a better place.
Here is a list of some of the movies and TV shows that have, in my opinion, most honestly shown what it’s like to go through cancer as a young person. They touch on different aspects of the unfortunate experience and deal with different age groups and different types of cancer, but they have all depicted some very candid situations worth watching.
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This slideshow was previously published in 2021.
‘Life By Ella’ (2022)
A new TV series coming to Apple TV+ on September 2, 2022, Life By Ella follows 13-year-old Ella as she tries to regain a sense of normalcy after a scary stint with cancer.
‘Y tu mamá también’ (English: ‘And Your Mother Too’) (2001)
This box office success made millions of dollars, not only in Mexico, but also abroad. The only non-English entry on this list is included because even if you usually prefer to only watch English-language movies, this movie is worth seeing. The cancer connection is not apparent from the start, but eventually, it all makes sense. There is explicit sex and drug use throughout, but the story is an essential one.
‘A Walk to Remember’ (2002)
Another coming-of-age romantic drama, based on Nicholas Sparks’ 1999 novel of the same name, grossed $47.5 million and portrays the tragedy of young love and loss.
‘My Sister’s Keeper’ (2009)
Based on Jodi Picoult’s 2004 novel of the same name, My Sister’s Keeper explores the ethics of having a child in order for them to donate organs to your existing ill child.
‘Me and Earl and the Dying Girl’ (2015)
A teenager with cancer is also one of the main characters in this movie based on the 2012 novel of the same name by American author Jesse Andrews. This comedy-drama was praised for its charm and insight, and made millions upon release.
’50/50′ (2011)
This semi-autobiographical insight into cancer, written by Will Reiser, touches on his own experiences of the illness. Starring Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Seth Rogen and Anna Kendrick, the comedy-drama grossed $41 million and was included on many top-ten lists of the best movies of 2011.
‘The Fault in Our Stars’ (2014)
This coming-of-age romance, based on the 2012 novel of the same name by American author John Green, stars Shailene Woodley and Ansel Elgort as two teenaged cancer patients, who meet at a support group and fall in love. You will certainly laugh and cry.
‘Coronation Street’ (1960–present)
The long-running popular British soap opera, that celebrated its 60th anniversary in 2020, has addressed cancer in many of its stories. The most significant one regarding young cancer involved the character, Sinead, whose death from cervical cancer highlighted the importance of screening tests.
‘Now Is Good’ (2012)
Now Is Good, another teen cancer and romance film, stars Dakota Fanning as a seventeen-year-old with terminal leukemia, who has a bucket list she wants to complete. It is based on the 2007 novel Before I Die by British author Jenny Downham. The drama in this tragedy realistically depicts the desperation faced by cancer patients who are terminally ill.
‘It’s a Sin’ (2021)
This British five-part miniseries spans the time period of 1981 to 1991 in London. It is about the lives of gay men, who are all friends, during the HIV/AIDS crisis. Though the main storyline is HIV/AIDS, some patients also develop cancer as a result of their medical status. It’s a Sin is a brilliant series touching on very important issues that will leave you in tears.
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