Young Adult Cancer Education — Events and Activities

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. 

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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.

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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.

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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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How To Stay Connected To Friends From Afar

Friendships are one of the most important aspects of our lives, and staying connected when isolated is essential for our mental health. Whether you have a friend that is stuck in the hospital or a long-distance BFF, remember there are tons of ways to b-present and stay connected to friends from afar. Video chats like FaceTime, Zoom, and Google Hangouts have been our favorite way to check-in with family and friends, but have you tried out these fresh new ways to connect?⁣

Game Together

GameApart takes game night virtual. You can play board and card games online with your friends and family via Zoom, Google Hangouts, or Facebook Messenger. No matter where you are, you’ll never miss game night again!

Jackbox Games allows you to play with up to 10 friends in front of a virtual audience of up to 10,000. Just hop on a video chat service (like Zoom or Google Hangouts) and start a game on your laptop. You can use the screen sharing option so that players you’re on a call with can see the game. Everyone can play along on their own mobile devices by using a browser and going to Jackbox.tv.

Scattegories is a classic fan-favorite, and it is available to play virtually for free. Just download the app and challenge a friend via video chat.

Words With Friends 2 is for all the Scrabble lovers out there looking for a fun brain exercise with some company. 

Playing Cards website lets you invite friends to play board games and card games like chess, go fish, crazy eights, and any other card game using a standard 52-card deck. All movements are synchronized, and if you add in a video chat, it’s pretty much like you are playing them in real-life.

Ticket To Ride will virtually feed your and your friend’s wanderlust. It costs $7 to download for each person who wants to play, but building a virtual train ride across America is time well-spent with friends. Pair the game with a video chat, so it feels like you are on the adventure together!

Friendship Bingo keeps you accountable for staying connected. Loneliness is painful, especially when you are living with loneliness for a prolonged period of time. Putting your time, energy, and attention into your close circle of friends can help ease the feelings of isolation and bring back a sense of normalcy. It’s hard times like these that help us to appreciate the friendships we are lucky to have.

Watch Together

Netflix Parties is a fun way to watch Netflix shows and movies with your friends. There is a chat window where group members can comment and chat during the show.⁣

Facebook Watch Party allows the host to pick out a queue of Facebook videos and line them up for the party to watch together. The host invites friends (other friends can join later too), and they can see and hear each other, as well as comment on the videos. ⁣

Do a virtual workout together. There are tons of options when it comes to accessing quality fitness classes anytime from your laptop, tablet, or smartphone. The cherry on top? Many of them don’t require any special equipment! Check out virtual Zumba classes or YMCA360.

Live stream a concert Move the couch, put on your dancing shoes, and turn on the video chat so you can boogie together. Because everyone loves living room dance parties.

 

How do you stay connected to friends?

Let us know if we need to add any fun activities to this list!

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