SAN FRANCISCO, Oct. 19, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Health Advocacy Summit (HAS), a nonprofit that facilitates events, meetings, and programs to empower young adults with chronic and rare conditions has released a new resource about advance care planning.

Advance planning allows individuals to establish their wishes in the event that they are unable to do so in the future. Typically advance planning is attributed to seniors, but the HAS believes it is critical for all ages.

"As a young person with a serious lifelong condition, thinking about the future can be hard. There's a lot of uncertainty and no one wants to think about, let alone plan for, the worst scenario. But the unpredictability of our health is what makes advance care planning so important," says Sydney Reed, Director of Operations at the HAS. "These are crucial decisions regarding your quality of life that should not be made by anyone else."

The resource page includes a glossary to highlight important concepts in advanced planning, as well as talking points for individuals to consider. Furthermore, resource-seekers can find tools on how to select your healthcare agent or proxy and state-specific advance directive forms.

Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, the HAS has served as a critical hub for young adults with chronic and rare conditions around the world. The HAS facilitates six virtual support meetings per month in addition to a variety of programming in higher education and civic engagement. Advance planning is the latest of resources, spearheaded by Gabrielle Labovitz, Head of Research and Resource Development at the HAS.

The HAS recognizes the lack of support and resources and is dedicated to uplifting adolescents and young adults with chronic and rare conditions around the world.

To learn more, visit https://www.healthadvocacysummit.org/advance-planning.