By Nicole Furey
The Insight team had its second meeting on March 12. We had two main discussion points on the agenda: Primetown 2022, and Phase II of the YAC Prime study.
Before diving in, we took a few minutes to catch up on what was new and exciting in each of our lives. From babies, to puppies, to new jobs, and more — it was great to see each other’s faces again, albeit virtually.
Primetown 2022
After some catch-up, Geoff gave us an intro to the amazing guests we can expect to hear from during Primetown 2022. You’re not gonna want to miss out on this line up. I’ve been to just about every YACC event since 2011, and I am truly excited for this one. I probably can’t say more at this point without getting in trouble, but trust me when I say STAY TUNED!
YAC Prime
Next we moved on to talking about research. Some of you may remember the YAC Prime study which surveyed 622 diagnosed young adults across Canada to explore the physical, social, financial, and emotional challenges they face compared to their peers without cancer (you can read more about that here). YACC is ramping up to start the next phase of this research. In light of this, the insight team discussed effective (and non-effective) ways they’ve been approached to get involved in research, and what motivated us to say yes to participating.
A common theme emerged among the group that I thought was powerful. For many of us, our motivation to participate in research was the hope that we would have a positive impact on the future, particularly in cancer care. For some of us that meant participating in clinical trials to find new treatments, and for others that meant sharing our experiences with fertility, mental health, or finances. I think the hope that we will have a meaningful impact on the future is something most people can relate to.
We wrapped up the meeting with a few laughs and more excitement over the Primetown lineup. As I write this post I’m reminded how lucky I am to be part of this group. I’m looking forward to our next meeting.