b-present overcomes the stigma of cancer through education, community dialogue, and experiences that improve empathy and compassion and lead to action. These events and activities create a shared understanding of the young adult cancer experience and the impact of presence.
Community Events and Workshops
These events provide a safe and inclusive environment to learn about the young adult cancer experience and the barriers to providing good support. Diverse perspectives and thoughtful discussion leads to a roadmap for change that best meets the community’s needs.
Partner Campaigns
Our partner campaigns create fun and rewarding activities that support others in need. Participants learn presence comes in many forms, has a tangible impact, and is within their reach.
School Events and Activities
The earlier we learn about the importance of presence, the better prepared we are when called on for support. In 2021, we will be introducing our school outreach program to educate students about the needs and challenges of the AYA cancer community. In addition, we invite students to work together to create their own events that promote connection and support for each other and for the young adults in their community.
Education and Outreach at Public Events
We participate in public events throughout the year. This includes virtual conferences as well as in person meetings and events.
Being Present In the Community – Highlights
Connecting with our community is an inspiring and eye opening experience, and we feel so honored to be connected to such an amazing group of people. Highlighted below are a few of our awesome events over the last couple of years. We can’t wait to share more about the activities we are planning for the future. Stay tuned and we hope you will join us!
Inspiring The Support Community Through Film and Conversation
It is not just about watching a film together. It is about immersing ourselves in the stories of young adults going through cancer, and having the community conversations that help us develop a deeper understanding of how a cancer diagnosis upends each young adult life. Only then can we have a better appreciation how vital social support is to this age group. In 2019, our first movie premiere and community event featured Cancer Rebellion , and we were so grateful to have film director and survivor Hernan Barangan with us to share his insights and answer questions. You should have heard the cheers for Hernan! Looking forward to more opportunities like this when the world opens back up.
Workshops with Purpose
In November 2019, we hosted the first-ever workshop focused on improving the quality and impact of support for young adults with cancer. This event brought together medical professionals, cancer survivors, supporters, and like-minded nonprofits to discuss the young adult support network. First we discussed the challenges, needs and gaps unique to each phase of the cancer experience (diagnosis, treatment, and beyond treatment). Next we identified the programming needs for the future. The final outcome of the workshop was a prioritized set of recommendations and next steps to be addressed in 2020 and beyond.
In November 2020, we partnered with Elephants and Tea and Stanford AYA Advisory Council to conduct a writer’s workshop focused on communication and getting the needed support after a cancer diagnosis. This event included cancer survivors, supporters and health professionals, and we learned the many perspectives on sharing the news and the importance of clear communication and setting boundaries. Sometimes these conversations are hard to initiate between patients and their community of support. We will be looking at developing tools that break down the barriers and facilitate these important connections.
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