Young Adult Cancer Canada > Community > News

Returning to work as a cancer survivor

By Sheryl M. Ness – Mayo Clinic

“As a cancer survivor, you may be dealing with the challenge of returning to your work schedule during and after cancer treatment. You may be working your normal schedule or a reduced schedule depending on your treatment and how you are feeling physically.

Or, you may have needed to stop working during treatment and return later. As you return to work, you may be concerned about continued fatigue, physical changes, and performing your usual job responsibilities.”

Click here to see some suggestions to assist you as you plan to talk to your employer about returning to work after cancer.

Posted on Jun 30, 2010 - 08:19 PM by Lesley

Planet Cancer: A Community of Young Adults With Cancer

“There are more of us young adults with cancer than you think. We are the statistical outliers, unexpectedly diagnosed with cancer between the age of 15 and 39, who come into your office, week after week, and scan the room—consciously or unconsciously—for people our own age. More likely than not, we won’t see anyone else.

We’ll toss the brochure about support groups because it’s written for our 70-year-old grandmas. We’ll wonder why you don’t have Internet access in your waiting room. We’ll ask if we can delay chemo to attend a bachelor party in Vegas. And, after months of never encountering another young adult with cancer, many of us will come to the same conclusion: “I must be the only one.”

In fact, young adult cancer patients aren’t as rare as you might think: Nearly 70,000 young adults between the ages of 15 and 39 in the U.S. are diagnosed annually with cancer—nearly 7% of all cancer diagnoses. Cancer is the leading disease killer of young adults, and young adults are the most likely group to experience a delayed diagnosis. And—perhaps most startling—survival rates for young adults between 25 and 35 have remained flat since the 1970s.”

To read this full article about Planet Cancer please click here.

Posted on Jun 28, 2010 - 11:36 AM by Lesley

An Interview with Brad Ludden of First Descents

The following is an excerpt from a Play City Blog:

“Last weekend I had a chance to meet Brad Ludden at the OMG Cancer Summit in New York.  Commonly known as one of the best professional kayakers in the world, Brad has traveled to over 40 countries as Nike’s first sponsored kayak athlete and can be seen gracing the cover of magazines such as Outside, Men’s Health and Men’s Journal.

After graduating a year early from high school, Brad set out for a 6-month around the world epic. It was at the end of that trip that he realized the need to pursue kayaking as a full-time occupation as well as his desire to give the gift of kayaking to others. In 2000, at the age 18, Brad founded the non-profit foundation, First Descents in order to provide those affected by cancer the chance to utilize whitewater kayaking and other outdoor adventures in order to play a key role in their overall recovery process.

For all these amazing accolades, Brad is a super-down-to-earth guy with quite possibly the best job in the world. Check out my interview with him below and definitely make sure to watch the video on First Descents [it’s muy awesome!]

Lastly, if you know of a young adult cancer survivor (age 18-39) let them know about First Descents (PS this amazing program is FREE!!)”

To read this full article please click here.

To visit First Descents website please click here.

Posted on Jun 21, 2010 - 11:35 AM by Lesley

Cancer Survivorship for Young Adults

This exciting Internet webcast CancerEducation includes a discussion with Sage Bolte, MSW, LCSW, OSW-C, and Eric Cohen, RN, BSN, OCN, about the special needs of young adult cancer survivors and the different challenges that face them.

This program for cancer patients, family members, caregivers, and healthcare professionals is sponsored by The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society in partnership with Life With Cancer®, an Inova Health System Service.

Posted on Jun 18, 2010 - 06:16 AM by Karine

Beyond Mastectomy: Does the Breast Make the Woman?

We were informed of this new book and documentary project by a photographer and journalist from Montreal and wanted to let all young adult woman who had breast cancer and a mastectomy know…maybe this project can interest you…

Here is a little more info on the project from Phil Carpenter leading it:

In October 2006 I did a photo essay feature for The Gazette (Montreal)
called Moving Beyond Mastectomy (October 28, 2006) featuring 6 women who had
mastectomies. It was a set of black and white portraits printed on 3 pages,
of women in their environment with the scars from their surgery visible and
obvious. Because of the positive feedback we received for this story I plan
now to expand this project into a book and short documentary.

The project is two-pronged. One part is to do a book of 100 portraits in
colour, of women from across Canada who have had mastectomies. The idea is
to have one portrait per page with a written first person account about any
aspect of that person¹s experience with mastectomy on the facing page.

The second part of the project will be a short documentary on DVD that will
look at the issue through the lives of between 2 to 4 young women in their
20’s and 30’s, by following them before, during and after a mastectomy. It
is to tell the story of how they came to the decision, how it has affected
their lives and how they came to terms with the decision and the experience.

Most of the portraits will show the women in environmental settings and will
be well lit and framed to reveal each person in a flattering aspect. They
may not all be topless but the scars from their mastectomies or
reconstruction will be visible and obvious. The women will be of different
ethic and racial backgrounds and will vary in age.

The purpose of the project is to explore the cultural meaning of the breast
in western society by addressing the question, ³is a woman less of one
without breasts? ³Is she a whole woman?² It will look at the psychological
trauma of losing the breast, the fear of experiencing that loss and the
discomfort and uncertainty in witnessing it. By showing these women topless
and scarred, but beautiful and confident I will take on popular views about
the role of the breast in our perception of beauty, femininity, sexuality
and womanhood, and hopefully prompt conversation, thought and awareness.

Production of the project will be completed by the end of this year (2010)
and the final project will be ready for publication by October 2011.

If you are interested, please contact:
Phil Carpenter, Photojournalist
The Gazette
.(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)

Posted on Jun 16, 2010 - 05:43 AM by Karine

YA Survivors Needed for a Research Study

A research team at the Fredericton (NB) Dalhousie University Family Medicine Teaching Unit is looking for young adult cancer survivors to participate in a study that will examine cancer follow-up care needs. If you were diagnosed with cancer in the last 5 years, were between the ages of 18-39 when diagnosed, and received your cancer follow-up care in Atlantic Canada, Montreal, the Greater Toronto area or Vancouver, you may be eligible to participate. The study involves a one-time telephone interview and the option to complete a paper survey.

In appreciation, participants will receive a gift card upon completion of the study.

For more information please contact:

Krystle Hussey
Phone: 1-866-323-1833 (toll free)
E-mail: .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
Or Facebook search: YAC study

 

Posted on Jun 14, 2010 - 10:46 AM by Lesley

Disabilities…What the Government can give back.

With the help of Rima, an inspiring survivor in YACC’s family, a discussion got started about the resources existing to help cancer survivors facing what goes under the term: “disabilities”. Rima sent a guide that I believe can help and inform those of you who are not sure what you are entitled to.

This guide about Government of Canada services and programs for people with disabilities provides information on everything from employment, accessibility and education, to health, income support and tax benefits. A section tells you how to contact your provincial or territorial government to find out about its programs and services for people with disabilities.

Want to read more? Disability_Guide_ENG.pdf

Posted on Jun 11, 2010 - 06:00 AM by Karine