This falls into the category of something that I’m sure of right down to my new bone marrow.

A new study released today doesn’t lead with this heading but when I read the heading this is what occurred to me.  Esme Fuller-Thomson, PhD and Sarah Brennenstuhl, MSW of the University of Toronto have drawn a link between physical abuse as a child and increased incidence of cancer.  Physical abuse is accompanied directly with emotional trauma and I would imagine that not unlike a cancer diagnosis, this emotional trauma likely lingers long after the physical body has recovered, if it recovers.

This is listed as the second study of its kind and what I take from it, even in the early days of this path of investigation, is a message that speaks to me so strongly… it’s all connected, just like we are all connected.  If we treat only one part of the problem we’re not effectively treating the problem, similarly if we’re only or primarily looking for a small part of the potential cause we’re not likely to find the holistic answer that will provide holistic insight.  Holistic insight is one of those things, like sustainability, that gets me going.

What do I mean by holistic insight, a solution that takes into account all elements of the issue.  I submit that the emotional side of cancer and all disease, and life for that matter, has been an after thought on the research agenda.  Have we really established the emotional side of cancer, both prior to, during and after diagnosis and treatment as a priority?  I’m not sure we have.

I was recently at a meeting, focusing on young adults with cancer and research… the docs, well-meaning bless them, recite this phrase that I’ve heard often “the best way to improve survivorship is to improve survival”.  Got a nice ring to it hey?  But what does that mean?  I ask in an extreme example, is this a “win” at all costs approach?  As long as we’re alive we’re winning… no, for sure not.  How about a little more “it’s my life, don’t forget the quality” in the research discussions.  At this same meeting I made the suggestion that research on young adults and cancer should be 75% psycho-social, 25% biological.  Given that I was the only survivor in the room of 18 or so you can imagine there was no consensus reached on my suggestion.

And then we have today’s study, which is asking the quality of life question prior to diagnosis as a potential cause of the diagnosis… sometimes this is almost too far ahead for me to see when I reflect on the focus of the majority of cancer research spending. (For a breakdown of research spending in Canada check out the Cancer Advocacy Coalition of Canada’s Report Cards - http://www.canceradvocacy.ca)

I see opportunity, we have a long way to go to reach the balanced approach that will provide those holistic insights that will really have a massive impact.  Getting studies like the one released today out in the public is a great start, not just for the specific issues addressed in the study but for the whole concept of researching emotional trauma and cancer.  Next time I’m at a research meeting for young adults count on me throwing out that 75% again.

Always…
Live life.  Love life.

Geoff

Yes, tomorrow is our birthday and we will be 9.  What’s changed?  Lots.

First, I don’t work in my old bedroom at my Dad’s anymore.  And while I used to work from my old bedroom be clear that I was the only one who did, but that too has changed, not just me working at YACC.  In fact we have an awesome crew of six full-time dedicated, passionate and talented people. 

These six people have allowed us to establish, grow and support amazing programs that make a difference in the lives of young adults with cancer.  Because of these programs many more young adults are connected with inspiration, information and support that is relevant and brings them from isolation to community.

The issues facing young adults are more prominent and there is a slowly building community of advocates, from all stripes, preparing to push our agenda to the top of the list after decades of neglect.

Our focus, which I will admit is largely my focus, is more refined than ever.  I was asked a while back “what has been your greatest obstacle to growth?”  I replied honestly, as I always do, and said me, I am our greatest obstacle.  Specifically my focus has been the greatest challenge for us… we(I) are more focused than ever and the process of getting more focused has taught me and us that the sharper our focus the more effective our efforts.  We have already seen this play out and I am jacked to watch it happen in new ways on a bigger scale.

Given we do a small collection of impressive accomplishments I would underscore them all by saying that our best is yet to come.  I believe that in my core.  Not to negate our successes to date but our vision sees much further down this road we’re travelling, in fact it stretches further than we can see and for that reason I know we’ve got some amazing things ahead.  I say this because there is much to be done, many more young adults, just this year alone, who need to hear about our communities and events, many more professionals that need to be convinced we have different issues and require customized programs, many more Canadians need to be engaged in our work.

And it will happen.  There is much to do, and we are on it. 

You know if I break everything away and truly get back to my mindset 9 years ago I will say to you that a major driving force behind my vision to start YACC came from this place deep inside that I wasn’t even aware of until diagnosed with cancer in my 20’s.  It is a place where fear, opportunity and a desire to make an impact collided.  I had the fortune to learn before cancer that I wanted to use my life to make an impact, it definitely wasn’t in this area or in this way but I knew I wanted to help make things a little better.  In my own version of better. 

Facing the distinct possibility of dying at the age of 23 brings forth a ton of new and different thoughts and what has been for me a new perspective on life and what’s truly important.  As a single guy, in his early 20’s, who knew he wanted to use his life to make things better the idea of legacy came to the forefront for me.  How will I be remembered?  This question is not usually covered during happy hour banter with the boys, but when dealing with your own mortality about 60 years prior to anticipated it was what rose to the top of the list for me.  Young Adult Cancer Canada was my way to address that question.

My answer was never about giving something a good go, or having a solid run for a few years, the answer for me was to create something that would be sustainable, around long after I’m done with it, doing good stuff to make a difference.  Breaking it all away I know this question of legacy was a major motivator behind me taking the first steps to get YACC off the ground 9 years ago.

I said in a speech the other day that I take a lot of credit for giving YACC the initial push to get going.  And I give a lot of credit to the thousands, literally, who have jumped in to make YACC what it is today.

So as we celebrate our 9th birthday tomorrow at our annual golf tournament I will take a few minutes to think about our very humble beginnings and another few to envision the future we will create.  I’ll also say a big thank you to those many thousands of people who have helped along the way, if you are one of them, big thanks, if you aren’t hope you can help at some point in our next 9.

Always…
Live life.  Love life.

Geoff