Our Mission & Vision
We provide a safe space where young adults (ages 18-45) facing cancer can connect, cope, and thrive with one another in an online community through creativity and expression. We want to end isolation for young adults facing cancer.
Presenting the Young Adult Cancer Advocate of the Year
Join us for the Young Adult Cancer Advocate of the Year (YAAY) competition, where passionate changemakers rally their communities to ensure no young adult faces cancer alone. Every dollar donated is a vote for advocacy and impact, fueling life-changing programs that provide connection, creativity, and support to young adults facing cancer. Support an advocate, make a difference, and be part of this powerful movement!
Come celebrate with us!
Join us as Cactus Cancer Society celebrates a decade of impact with an unforgettable in-person gala in Berkeley, California, on Saturday, April 5, 2025!
Enjoy an elegant tapas-style dinner, signature refreshments, and a curated gallery of art created by our cherished community members—available for auction, giving you the chance to bring home a piece of the magic!
This is more than just a celebration—it’s a tribute to resilience, creativity, and the incredible connections we’ve built over the past decade. Don’t miss this extraordinary evening—get your ticket today!
Our Programs
Join Cactus Cancer Society for a book club like no other- with you as the author, illustrator, and creator! Our new Creative Arts Book Club Discussion Series puts you at the center of a one of a kind book.
Experience a program crossover like no other! This four-week program will explore Zoom time with fellow blood cancer patients and survivors and the online forum, LLS Community, all while doodling your way through prompts.
Learn how to participate, contribute, and purchase Cactus Cancer Society's 10th Anniversary Anthology!
Whether you're looking for one night workshops or a full journaling series, check out the upcoming journaling workshops here.
Join Cactus Cancer Society for a book club like no other- with you as the author, illustrator, and creator! Our new Creative Arts Book Club puts you at the center of a one of a kind book.
Everyone keeps secrets. From the time we are young, we file some things away to keep as a secret, either as a white lie, a way to protect other people, or even a way to protect ourselves.
Combine the power of storytelling with the art of graphic representation and you've got Story Mapping, a workshop about empowering young adults at any stage of their cancer experience to find their voice, tell their story and thrive.
Each December, join us for a week of interactive survivorship crash courses for facing cancer.
Build your lego creations while hanging out with other young adult cancer patients, survivors, and caregivers.
Our Impact
We provide support and resources to young adult cancer patients, survivors, and caregivers via online wellness resources, lifestyle encouragement, and peer support community.Â
Participants experience a statistically significant reduction in anxiety, depression, loneliness, and psychological distress after joining our programs.
Upcoming Programs
Are you feeling prickly?
Why a cactus society? Like the cactus in our name, the young adults who seek our community are tough; they are strong, adaptive, and resilient. They thrive in unlikely conditions and with this fortitude comes resilience.
Meet our community
About Us
We provide a safe space where young adults facing cancer can breathe easier knowing that there are others here who understand what they are facing. Our community offers an escape from the harsh realities of cancer, and an opportunity to cope through creativity and expression, and continue to grow and thrive.
Donate
Be there for that next young adult who is facing cancer and looking for someone who understands. Show them they are not alone.