At YACC, recovery is about more than survival, it’s about living a life worth loving for the long road.
Joseph Neale gets it.
After being diagnosed with lung cancer at age 20, the talented multi-hyphenate added activist, advocate, and YACC Localife Toronto leader to his already impressive resume, letting him make an incredible impact on the parts of the world that mean the most to him.
Now, 12 years later, he had this to say on what recovery means to him, and why it’s important:
Recovery to me is a second chance at life, a chance to make my life the best experience it can be while I’m here.
It means not only surviving, but thriving after a life-threatening illness like lung cancer where I lost two-thirds of my right lung.
It’s also about regaining my physical strength, my physical health, and also my emotional well-being.
Recovery leads that feeling of resilience, hope, and the power of the human spirit, and it also is a reminder that life is precious and I want to make the most of every moment I have.
The YACC Recover Study aims to engage 2,000 people who were diagnosed with cancer before the age of 40 to learn more about what life is like after a cancer diagnosis so we can work on making it better. The short survey will be sent to participants once a year to gauge what the pain points are to help lead us in program planning and other work.
We want your voice*!
Visit recoverstudy.ca to sign up and help change what it means to be diagnosed with cancer in the prime of your life.
*Eligible participants were diagnosed with cancer before the age of 40 and are currently over the age of 18, and live in Canada. Participants will be paid $20 for each year they complete the survey for a minimum of five years.
