Young cancer patient shares story as LHSC program celebrates milestone

LHSC is marking the one-year anniversary of its Adolescent and Young Adult Oncology Program. CTV’s Lauren Stallone reports.

Ishtar Samano is a patient at Victoria Hospital in London Ont.

“I was diagnosed unfortunately with stage four Hodgkin Lymphoma in July 2025,” said Samano.

As London Health Sciences Centre (LHSC) celebrated its one-year anniversary of the Adolescent and Young Adult Oncology Program (AYA), Samano marked the occasion by sharing her story.

“I was always in pain, I had intense back pain, I didn’t want to suffer any longer,” said Samano. “I decided to go ahead with chemotherapy without any fertility preservation.”

Samano has been in complete remission since December 2025 but had to undergo a stem cell transplant in January.

“It carried a high risk of pre-menopause and ovarian failure,” she said. “When I met with AYA Oncology, they actually told me that there is another fertility preservation option.”

Dr. Marta Wilejto, a pediatric oncologist at Children’s Hospital, said the option presented to Samano was ‘Ovarian Cryopreservation.’

“It is a technology that’s been used worldwide that actually takes the ovary from the patient who’s undergoing cancer treatment, freezes it, and then transplants it back when the patient is ready to have children,” said Wilejto.

Samano said she is thankful for the support she received from the AYA Oncology Program during her treatment.

“They sent me resources, mental health resources,” said Samano. “A cancer diagnosis is very hard as it is but at that age it felt like there wasn’t anyone else going through it.”

Experts said every year in Ontario, more than 6,000 adolescents and young adults aged 15-39 are in active cancer treatment.

“One of the things that this program is doing is raising awareness for AYA cancer,” said Wilejto. “Even though its rare, it’s still really, really important.”

The program is aimed at supporting patients like Samano along their journey.

“There is a light at the end of the tunnel,” said Samano. “Don’t be ashamed to get out there and try to find things that would comfort you.”