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YACC values commitment

At our monthly team meetings, one of our crew members discusses some of our five values: strength, courage, commitment, heart, and spark. This is Angie’s reflection from this month’s meeting.

By Angie Barrington

When deciding on which value to talk about this month, the one that kept rising to the top was “commitment.” I don’t know if it’s the warm, fuzzy holiday spirit creeping in, the vibe around the projects we’re working on, or witnessing what’s going on in YACC world lately, but it feels like this community is more committed than ever to helping young adults cope with cancer.

Commitment is shown in many ways, from the daily operations at YACC HQ, to our YACCers who continue to look out for one another, to those who have been following Geoff’s story since his email group. YACC is more than a “cancer charity,” it’s a team that extends outside YACC HQ, dedicated to providing opportunities and services for a “forgotten generation.”

While always giving it all, it seems the folks at YACC HQ have pulled out a few extra points to go into that imaginary 110 per cent territory. It feels we’re laser-focused on our mission, mad enough to incite change, and organized enough to make it happen. I’m excited to hear more of Lisa’s ideas on how we can amplify these efforts to make sure our stakeholders are engaged and excited about our vision.

Then there’s YAC Prime. We are getting closer to our target of hearing from 600 people on what it’s like to live with, through, and beyond cancer as a young adult in Canada for the biggest sample of young adults ever collected. Dr. Sheila Garland and our partners at Memorial University are committed to hitting those targets and turning the data into insights and action steps that will help shape our programs, as well as tell us what else young adults need when diagnosed with cancer.

If you were diagnosed with cancer between 15-39, and are currently over 19,
please visit yacprime.ca to tell us what having cancer as a young adult was like for you.

We continue to work on updating our website, and our partners at Dc Design House have been going the extra mile with us to make sure it gives YACCers the tools and information they need to live and love life, whether they were diagnosed with cancer or are supporting someone who was. The Dc team is patient, motivated, and invested in delivering the best product possible, which we always expected, but is really felt when putting a member of the team in our mascot suit for a photo shoot or speaking with a spouse who confirmed the project comes up a lot after hours.

We are also gearing up for our 13th Shave for the Brave season, and know we have committed Shavers, Head Hunters, and Mane Mamas who are prepped and primed to collect donations and get those big haircuts. It’s amazing to have some schools with their dates locked in already, the MANE-iacs are starting to look a little disheveled, and some braid donors’ patience will soon pay off as they give 10-inches of hair for wigs.

Then there are the families who choose to honour their YACCers through legacy funds. The Taylor Bell Memorial Fund just held its third annual fundraiser, private donors are committed to give monthly and annually to help other young adults benefit from a community that helped their loved ones, and we’re on the edge of announcing another partnership in memory of someone near and dear to all of us at YACC HQ.

And finally there are the YACCers who continue to have each other’s’ backs every day, through showing solidarity or offering solutions in the private YACC Facebook group, to finding corporate giving opportunities to support YACC’s programs and events, to turning their bad news into a way to raise money so more young adults can connect with the supportive community helping them through the latest hurdle.

No matter where you fit in, thank you for having YACC’s back.

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