We are thrilled to introduce you to our newest volunteers to the Localife team! Localife is YACC’s social event-based program, and is run by volunteer leaders in eight cities across Canada.
Let’s give them a warm welcome!
CALGARY
Alison (she/her) is upbeat, compassionate, and a bit nerdy.
She is a sarcoma cancer survivor, diagnosed in August 2021 at the age of 31. Alison started her treatment in September 2021 with chemotherapy and radiation. After having surgery to remove the tumour in November 2021, she underwent more chemotherapy treatments in early 2022.
During treatment, she learned about YACC and the programs available for AYAs. Later that summer Alison connected in person with her first Localife event. Since then Alison has attended several other Localife events and was delighted to attend YACC’s House Party in June 2023.
Alison wants to continue to bring a fun light to other AYA parents and survivors through Localife events.
Sierra (she/her) is a stage 2 breast cancer survivor, diagnosed in 2021. She was treated with chemo, radiation, and hormone therapies.
She has been a YACC member since her diagnosis, and Localife was her first support event in Calgary.
Sierra is joining as a program leader because she thinks these organizations are such a wonderful support to have in traumatic times and impact members so positively, and she would love to be a part of organizing and providing such events and support!
OTTAWA
Heather (she/her) is caring, supportive, and eager to help.
She is a papillary carcinoma with tall cell variant (thyroid cancer) thriver. She was diagnosed at the age of 32 and had total thyroidectomy surgery and then radioactive iodine treatments in 2017. She has no evidence of disease as of spring 2018.
She connected with YACC in January 2018, attending the Big Cancer Hook-up in Ottawa for her first event. Since then, she has participated in Localife Ottawa events, multiple Big Cancer Hook-ups, multiple Survivor Conference Virtual events, a few YACC Chats, House Party Ottawa, was on the social committee for Survivor Conference Virtual: Chance, and is most recently a YACCtivist.
She is eager to give back to YACC and the AYA community because this community was such an important part of her own cancer experience.
VICTORIA
Lucy (she/her) is a caring, empathetic, and sometimes hangry breast cancer survivor.
Lucy was diagnosed during the early days of the pandemic. While life in Toronto was in complete pause due to the ongoing and lengthy lockdowns, Lucy was undergoing several procedures including a mastectomy and chemotherapy. Upon completion of active treatment in 2021, Lucy made the decision to move across the country to Victoria and joined the Localife Victoria community.
Lucy’s cancer experience, coupled with the pandemic, was completely isolating and lonely. Ensuring that other patients, survivors, and thrivers have a supportive community during difficult times is the reason she has joined as a co-leader at Localife and a member of the Insight program.
