Cancer Didn’t Come With Instructions. Ask Perrie.

Young adult cancer comes with pamphlets. Port scars. Schedules. Acronyms. Follow-up appointments. 

It does not come with instructions.

There’s no chapter on how to tell someone your diagnosis, how to handle the grief that comes, or what to do when your family and friends feel like they don’t understand. There isn’t an appendix on dating while bald, marriage while sick, or how to navigate cancer ghosting. You won’t find a flowchart for “Why am I angry even though I’m alive?” You won’t find an FAQ for how to handle caregiving without burning out. And trust me when I say there isn’t a secret footnote explaining why your body feels unfamiliar or why losing your hair feels so emotional. 

And yet, the questions keep coming.

At Cactus Cancer Society, we hear them all the time. In DMs. In workshops. In the pause before someone says, “Okay, this might sound weird but…”

It’s not weird. It’s young adulthood colliding with cancer. And that’s complicated stuff. So I’m making space for the questions that don’t fit neatly into a medical visit, the ones you Google at 2 am, or that you feel scared to say outloud. 

I’m Perrie (okay, it’s me, Lauren Morales, the Senior Program Coordinator writing under a pseudonym!), a licensed clinical social worker and young adult Hodgkin Lymphoma survivor who has spent years working alongside young adults impacted by cancer. I’ve sat in hospital rooms, on both sides of the chair. I’ve been in the infusion rooms and support groups. I’ve also helped support folks throughout their treatment and in the post-treatment “WTF just happened” space. I’ve heard the questions people whisper and the ones they laugh off (I’ve had them myself…..) And I know how isolating it can feel to carry them alone.

Ask Perrie is Cactus Cancer Society’s new advice column for young adults navigating every phase of the cancer experience, from diagnosis to treatment to survivorship to recurrence, and for co-survivors walking alongside them. This isn’t therapy. It’s perspective. Context. Language for the things that feel hard to name. Honest, thoughtful responses grounded in real, lived, and professional experience.

This is where you can ask questions like:

I’m surviving, but I am so sad, and everyone keeps just telling me to be grateful. Does that make me ungrateful?
Is it bad that I can’t listen to my friends complain about “normal” things anymore?
How do I date in this body, and when do I know I’m ready?
Why does everyone think I’m strong when I feel completely and totally exhausted?
How do I deal with my friend ghosting me since I told them I was diagnosed?
How do I support my partner/family member without disappearing myself?
Who even am I now?

Each month, Perrie will answer submitted questions with nuance, compassion, and the occasional gentle reality check. Because you deserve answers that treat you like a whole person, not just a diagnosis. Questions will then be posted online in our blog, socials, and newsletter. 

Submit your question anonymously here.

Cancer didn’t come with instructions. Let’s write some together.

Support Our 2026 Young Adult Cancer Advocate of the Year Candidates!

Support Our Young Adult Cancer
Advocate of the Year Candidates!

Cactus Cancer Society is so proud to introduce the 2026 Young Adult Cancer Advocate of the Year (YAAY) candidates!  These passionate, driven individuals are not only raising awareness, but making a tangible impact in the lives of young adult cancer patients, survivors, and caregivers. 

Over the course of nine weeks, these inspiring candidates will raise critical funds to fuel and sustain creative coping programs that combat the loneliness, fear, and uncertainty of a cancer diagnosis. But they can’t do it alone. This is where YOU come in!

Every dollar you donate is a vote for the advocate you believe deserves the prestigious title of Young Adult Cancer Advocate of the Year. More importantly, your contributions directly fuel Cactus Cancer Society’s life-saving programs – proven to reduce loneliness, anxiety, depression, and psychological distress for young adults facing cancer. Who will take home the title of Young Adult Cancer Advocate of the Year? That’s up to you! Casting your vote today and help shape the future for young adults facing cancer!

SUPPORT A YAAY CANDIDATE NOW!

When It’s 2 AM and You Need to Talk: Crisis & Immediate Emotional Support

There’s something about the middle of the night that makes everything louder. The worries. The what-ifs. The “what now?” questions that cancer tends to drop like surprise confetti. When you’re wide awake with your mind racing and your heart doing that anxious thump, it can feel like you’re the only one in the world who’s up.

I am here to tell you, you’re not.

If you’re navigating cancer as a young adult, you already know how heavy it can be. The physical toll is only part of it….the emotional weight, the isolation, and the “no one gets it” moments are often just as real. But here’s the thing: you don’t have to face it alone, not even in the middle of the night. There are people (real ones, not robots or recordings) who are awake, trained, and ready to listen.

You Deserve Support, Right Now

Reaching out for help doesn’t mean you’re weak. It means you’re human. Sometimes you just need someone to hold space for you: no fixing, no judgment, just someone who hears you. That’s what these crisis lines are here for. Whether you’re dealing with panic, suicidal ideation, grief, loneliness, or hopelessness, they exist, so you don’t have to carry them alone.

The resources below are here 24/7, for whatever you’re facing. As you explore, trust your instincts; you know what feels right and what doesn’t. Feeling safe and understood is non-negotiable when it comes to your mental health. Sometimes, even the most amazing friends, family, or Cactus Crew can’t hold every tough feeling that comes up with cancer, and that’s totally okay. These lifelines are here to step in and support you when things feel too heavy to handle alone.

💬 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline

Call or text 988 | 988lifeline.org
This is the big one — the main line in the U.S. for anyone in emotional distress. You can call, text, or chat online 24/7. You’ll connect with trained counselors who know how to talk through crisis moments, big or small. You don’t have to be suicidal to reach out. Maybe you just feel like everything’s too much. They’ll listen.

📞 American Cancer Society Helpline

Call 800-227-2345 | cancer.org
Cancer brings a lot of “how do I even deal with this?” moments. The ACS Helpline is staffed by folks who can help with everything from emotional support to practical questions about treatment, transportation, and resources. They get the full picture — the logistics and the feelings.

Cancer Support Community Helpline

Call 888-793-9355 | cancersupportcommunity.org
If you want someone who understands cancer-specific mental health needs, CSC has you covered. Their trained oncology professionals are available 24/7 to talk, listen, and point you toward tools and support tailored to what you’re going through.

Crisis Text Line

Text HOME to 741741 | crisistextline.org
Sometimes talking out loud feels like too much. Crisis Text Line offers a totally text-based option. You’ll be chatting with a real human (not AI) who’s trained in crisis response and emotional support. Free, confidential, and open all the time.

Lifeline Chat

988lifeline.org/chat
If you’d rather type than talk, Lifeline Chat lets you connect with a counselor online. It’s private and can feel easier if you’re not ready to pick up the phone.

Warmlines Directory

warmline.org
Not every hard day is a crisis day. Sometimes you just need connection: someone to say, “yeah, I get it.” Warmlines are peer-run, meaning the people on the other end have lived experience with mental health challenges. They’re there to talk, listen, and help you feel less alone.

Why It Matters

Mental health support doesn’t have to wait until things hit a breaking point. You deserve care before it feels like an emergency. And if it is an emergency, you deserve care that meets you exactly where you are. These resources are free, confidential, and available 24/7 because your life and your mental health matter every hour of the day.

If you ever find yourself staring at the ceiling, wondering who to call, start here. You don’t have to have the perfect words. You don’t have to know what to say. You just have to reach out.

You’re Not Alone in This

At Cactus Cancer Society, we believe in the power of connection because healing happens in community. Whether it’s through art, conversation, creativity, or care, we’re here to help you find your people and your peace.

Explore our full Mental Health & Peer Support Resources page to find more organizations, groups, and programs that get it.

You’re not a burden. You’re not overreacting. You’re a human being doing your best in an impossible situation and you deserve support right now.

When Cancer Isn’t Just Physical: Taking Care of Your Mental Health

Cancer doesn’t just change your body. It can reshape your identity, your plans, and your connection to the world around you. For many young adults, the emotional side of cancer can hit just as hard (if not harder) as the physical side, and it often lingers long after treatment ends.

Let’s get one thing straight: struggling doesn’t mean you’re weak. You’re responding to an extraordinary situation. The fear of recurrence, the brain fog, the sadness, the grief, the “what now?” questions, they’re normal reactions to an experience that turns life upside down! You are a human going through something extraordinary. 

Before you dive in further into this article, I want to invite you to take a breath and check in with yourself. Notice your emotional weather. If this feels heavy, pause and come back later. This content is here to support you, not overwhelm you, when you are ready. 

Below I’m going to talk about some of the common emotional responses to cancer, some of my lived experience, and recommendations I have to help support yourself inside of these experiences. 

The Emotional Whiplash of Cancer

When you hear “you have cancer,” your body can go into survival mode. Suddenly you are focused on making it to your next round of chemo or radiation, it can be common to feel as though you blinders on to the rest of the world while you navigate treatment. As your body begins to navigate the uncertainty of cancer, you might start to notice mood changes like depression, anxiety, or panic. 

You might feel it as restlessness before scans, dread before appointments, or sadness that doesn’t quite lift. These reactions are common, and I’ve had them! They’re not character flaws, they’re how your mind and body respond to uncertainty and loss. Even if treatment ends, these symptoms can stick around like uninvited guests or amplify. For me, this has felt like emotional whiplash. I went from auto-pilot in treatment to feeling completely overwhelmed in survivorship. 

A quality therapist can help you identify what you’re feeling and give those feelings room to breathe. Healing isn’t about being positive all the time; sometimes it’s about being curious, brave, or just willing to try again tomorrow. Research shows that therapists such as Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, and Mindfulness are tools that can help survivors navigate the emotional whiplash of cancer. For me, I’ve found that Somatic therapies like EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) and IFS (Internal Family Systems) to be very helpful in working through trauma. 

And something to remember small steps matter: getting out of bed, texting a friend, or joining a support group all count as movement toward healing.

The Grief That No One Talks About

Cancer brings loss in so many forms: health, independence, fertility, friendships, even the future you once imagined. This kind of grief doesn’t always get the validation it deserves. In psychology we often call this disenfranchised grief: grief that is not or cannot be openly acknowledged, publicly mourned, socially supported, or that is misunderstood or trivialized. People might say, “At least you’re alive,” when what you really need is validation and, “I know this is hard, I see you.”

Grief after cancer isn’t linear. You might feel peace one day and frustration the next. That’s okay. Think of grief as something you grow around, it doesn’t disappear, but you slowly learn to live alongside it. Grief isn’t a failure to move on. It’s evidence of how deeply you’ve lived, loved, and changed. Making space for your feelings of grief, talking about it with other YAs or survivors can often be an important step in learning how to hold grief compassionately. 

Body Image, Identity, and the Self You See Now

Many survivors struggle to recognize themselves after cancer. Scars, hair loss, swelling, weight changes……they’re visible reminders of what you’ve been through. And sometimes, it’s not just “I look different,” it’s “I feel different.”

Maybe intimacy feels different. Maybe mirrors feel like strangers. Research shows one in three survivors experiences lasting body image distress. These feelings are real and they’re workable.

Therapies that include body awareness, self-compassion, and narrative work can help you rebuild trust with your body. The goal isn’t to “get over it.” It’s to reclaim your story and reconnect with the self you see now.

When the Body Remembers: Medical Trauma

Cancer can be traumatic, period. The diagnosis, the hospital smells, the needles, the waiting rooms. Even years later, certain sounds or places can trigger physical reactions like nausea, panic, or tension. That’s called medical trauma, and it’s common.

You’re not overreacting. Your nervous system learned to protect you. Trauma-informed therapies, like EMDR, somatic work, or CPT (Cognitive Processing Therapy), can help your body learn safety again.

You can heal. You can trust your body again. It just takes time and the right kind of support.

Finding a Therapist Who Gets It

You deserve care from someone who understands that cancer doesn’t end when treatment does. A good therapist can help you process what’s happened, rebuild your sense of self, and learn new ways to live meaningfully with what’s changed.

Here’s how to start:

How to Find a Therapist

Search for professionals who specialize in oncology, chronic illness, or trauma.

  • American Psychosocial Oncology Society (APOS): Therapist directory focused on oncology support.

  • Psychology Today and TherapyDen: Let you search by specialty, identity, and location.

  • Inclusive Therapists: A directory centering BIPOC, LGBTQ+, and marginalized communities.

Most cancer centers also have social workers or psychologists who can refer you to trusted providers. And if in-person therapy feels hard to manage, telehealth sessions can make accessing care easier.

What to Look For

Credentials matter, but comfort matters more. Research shows the therapeutic relationship,  how safe and understood you feel,  is the strongest predictor of healing (Wampold & Imel, 2015).

When interviewing therapists, you can ask:

  • Have you worked with people affected by cancer or chronic illness?

  • How do you support clients with medical trauma or scanxiety?

  • What’s your approach to grief or body image?

Trust your instincts. You deserve a therapist who feels like a safe space, not another appointment to endure.

Mental Health Resources for Young Adults Impacted by Cancer

If you’re ready to start looking for support but not sure where to begin, Cactus Cancer Society has compiled a directory of trusted mental health and peer support resources just for young adults impacted by cancer.

Here’s a preview of what you’ll find there:

Inclusive & Culturally Affirming Directories

  • Inclusive Therapists — Find BIPOC, LGBTQ+, and affirming therapists across the U.S.

  • Therapy for Black Girls — A thriving community and therapist directory for Black women and girls.

  • Therapy for Latinx — Connect with Latinx-identifying, culturally responsive therapists.

  • Asian Mental Health Collective — Community and therapist directory focused on reducing stigma in Asian communities.

  • StrongHearts Native Helpline — 24/7 culturally grounded emotional support for Native Americans (1-844-7NATIVE).

Affordable Therapy Options

  • Open Path Collective — Sliding-scale therapy starting around $40–$70 per session.

  • TherapyDen — Inclusive therapist directory with filters for race, gender, and faith.

  • Psychology Today — Comprehensive national therapist directory with location and insurance filters.

Specialized Support

  • Neurodivergent Therapists Collective — For neurodivergent individuals seeking affirming care.

  • HeadsUpGuys — Resources for men’s mental health.

  • Give An Hour — Free counseling for veterans, survivors of violence, and those facing illness.

These resources were chosen with young adults in mind — people who need care that’s flexible, inclusive, and holistic. Take your time exploring. The right fit is out there.

The Strength to Keep Going

Taking care of your mental health isn’t about fixing what’s wrong. It’s about nurturing what’s still growing. You’ve already made it through so much,  that’s resilience! Therapy, support, and community can help you move from just surviving to truly living.

If you’re ready to find support that gets it, explore our full Mental Health & Peer Support Resources for Young Adults Impacted by Cancer. You’re not alone in this. Help is here — and you deserve it.

References

Álvarez-Pardo, S., López-Sosa, B., Pérez-Fuentes, M. D. C., & Gázquez-Linares, J. J. (2023). Factors associated with body image and self-esteem in mastectomized breast cancer survivors. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 20(6), 5154. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20065154

Bui, K. T., Liang, R., Kiely, B. E., Brown, C., Dhillon, H. M., & Blinman, P. (2021). Scanxiety: A scoping review about scan-associated anxiety. BMJ Open, 11(5), e043215. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2020-043215

Cowles, K. V., & Rodgers, B. L. (1991). The concept of grief: A foundation for nursing research and practice. Research in Nursing & Health, 14(2), 119–127. https://doi.org/10.1002/nur.4770140207

Hayes, S. C., Strosahl, K. D., & Wilson, K. G. (2011). Acceptance and Commitment Therapy: The process and practice of mindful change. Guilford Press.

Hofmann, S. G., Asnaani, A., Vonk, I. J. J., Sawyer, A. T., & Fang, A. (2012). The efficacy of cognitive behavioral therapy: A review of meta-analyses. Cognitive Therapy and Research, 36(5), 427–440. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10608-012-9476-1

Kabat-Zinn, J. (2003). Mindfulness-based interventions in context: Past, present, and future. Clinical Psychology: Science and Practice, 10(2), 144–156. https://doi.org/10.1093/clipsy.bpg016

Kübler-Ross, E., & Kessler, D. (2005). On Grief and Grieving: Finding the meaning of grief through the five stages of loss. Scribner.

Niedzwiedz, C. L., Knifton, L., Robb, K. A., Katikireddi, S. V., & Smith, D. J. (2019). Depression and anxiety among people living with and beyond cancer: A growing clinical and research priority. BMC Cancer, 19, 943. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12885-019-6181-4

Oncology Nursing Society. (2018). Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in cancer survivors. Retrieved from https://www.ons.org/publications-research

Porges, S. W. (2011). The Polyvagal Theory: Neurophysiological foundations of emotions, attachment, communication, and self-regulation. W. W. Norton & Company.

Shapiro, F. (2017). Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) Therapy: Basic principles, protocols and procedures (3rd ed.). Guilford Press.

Spiegel, D., & Classen, C. (2000). Group therapy for cancer patients: A research-based handbook of psychosocial care. Basic Books.

Tedeschi, R. G., & Calhoun, L. G. (2004). Posttraumatic growth: Conceptual foundations and empirical evidence. Psychological Inquiry, 15(1), 1–18. https://doi.org/10.1207/s15327965pli1501_01

Tonkin, L. (1996). Growing around grief: Another way of looking at grief and recovery. Bereavement Care, 15(1), 10. https://doi.org/10.1080/02682629608657396

Uchino, B. N. (2006). Social support and health: A review of physiological processes potentially underlying links to disease outcomes. Journal of Behavioral Medicine, 29(4), 377–387. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10865-006-9056-5

Wampold, B. E., & Imel, Z. E. (2015). The Great Psychotherapy Debate: The evidence for what makes psychotherapy work (2nd ed.). Routledge.

White, M., & Epston, D. (1990). Narrative Means to Therapeutic Ends. Norton.

An Invitation to Slow Down: Yoga Nidra 2026

Rest is not always easy, especially when your body and mind have been shaped by cancer, treatment, or the long tail of everything that comes after. In 2026, Cactus Cancer Society continues our Yoga Nidra program, in partnership with our friends at Elephants and Tea.

Yoga Nidra is a guided meditation practice designed to support deep rest while maintaining a sense of awareness. Often called “yogic sleep,” it offers a way to settle the nervous system without effort, movement, or prior meditation experience. You do not need to know how to meditate. You do not need to arrive calm. You do not need to clear your mind, sit still, or do anything “right.” You simply need a place to rest and listen! 

Guided Yoga Nidra Meditation with Mamma G

Join Angie Giallourakis (aka Mamma G), Cactus Cancer Society, and Elephants and Tea for a seasonal series of guided Yoga Nidra meditations. Each session is centered around a different theme and is an hour-long meditation that you can participate in the comfort of your own home (wear your PJs, turn off your camera, and get comfy, we won’t judge!) You are welcome to attend a single session or join us for the full series. Come in pajamas. Come from the couch. Come exactly as you are.

Whether you are navigating treatment, survivorship, caregiving, or the in-between spaces that rarely get named, Yoga Nidra offers time to pause, listen inward, and reconnect with yourself in a supported way. 

2026 Session Themes and Dates

All sessions begin at 8:00 pm ET.

February 9, 2026
Connecting to the Energy Within

March 2, 2026
Coming to Awareness

April 6, 2026
The Objective Observer

May 4, 2026
Tapping into Your Joy

These Yoga Nidra sessions are not about fixing or achieving anything. They are about creating space to rest, reflect, and be held in community. Hopefully, you will leave refreshed and with a new tool in your “coping toolbox”! We look forward to practicing alongside you in 2026, blankets and all.

REGISTER HERE

Desert Dispatch: A Sustainability Pop-Up

I love projects that feel intentional and a little rebellious in the best way. The kind that invites you to slow down, touch real paper, and make something without pressure or performance. That’s Desert Dispatch.

For a limited time, Cactus Cancer Society is releasing a Desert Dispatch Sustainability Pop-Up, a limited-edition art experience with just 50 dispatches available. Created by young adult cancer patients, survivors, and caregivers, each dispatch delivers creativity, connection, and a moment worth savoring straight to your mailbox. Paper still hits different.

Continue reading

Cody’s Corner: YA Cancer Groundhog Day

Hey everyone, I hope that your February is starting off well! As we enter February, that absolutely chilling month (at least here in New Jersey), thoughts dance through the mind: The Valentine’s season (who doesn’t like some sweets now and then?), Groundhog Day (both the movie and the event where the woodchuck weatherman makes his predictions), and of course, “Why is February so short?”

With that last one, I am not a calendar master or holiday guru, but I would like to point out an important day that comes every February (…no, not Groundhog Day): Rare Disease Day, which takes place on the last day of February (so, in leap years it’s on February 29th!) – it is a day dedicated to raising awareness for rare diseases like LGL Leukemia. If you want to find out more, go to either RareDiseaseDay.org or the National Organization for Rare Disorders page on it.

Now I’d like to talk about the other important holiday that comes every February 2nd… Groundhog Day! Groundhog Day, if you don’t know about it, is a day where people flock to the small town of Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania to hear from Phil, its resident groundhog meteorologist, as to whether or not there will be six more weeks of winter. I’m hoping that this year, Phil doesn’t see his shadow (meaning winter will end when it should) because we need to have the frost leave the land sooner rather than later – we need the warmth of spring to arrive to wake up the grass and trees.

Groundhog Day, 1993
Groundhog Day, 1993

Have you ever seen the movie Groundhog Day? If you haven’t, it’s a great philosophical comedy from 1993 (yeah, I know, those words sound a bit odd together – but it works!) starring Bill Murray where he plays a cynical weatherman named Phil who is sent to Punxsutawney, PA to cover the Groundhog Day festivities – he is not a fan of the groundhog who shares his name. However, for reasons unknown, he gets stuck in a time loop – he must repeat the same day over and over and over again. The movie has everything from drama to comedy to romance – I cannot more strongly recommend it as something for you to watch every February 2nd (or whenever the mood strikes!).

Now, why did I bring up that movie, aside from it being one of my favorites? It’s because the cancer experience can feel like we are trapped in a loop – especially those of us who will never be rid of our unwanted intruders. I live my life through routines – every 28 days I get blood drawn at a Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center location, with every third time taking place with my managing oncologist/the clinical trial team in New York City, and every eight weeks I go to an oncologist here in New Jersey who monitors my counts. I live my life blood draw by blood draw – that is life with chronic cancer; my life was like that before the trial (especially during my “medication vacations”) and even more so now that I am in a clinical trial where every little thing has to be reported to the trial team (understandably so!). I get asked that classic question: “Are you having fevers, chills, night sweats, diarrhea, or constipation?” to the point where I rattle off the question to them (alongside my answers), which they always find funny (or surprises the new people!).

Soon, Cactus Cancer Society’s Second Annual Young Adult Cancer Advocate of the Year fundraising competition will begin. As you know, I was one of the winners of the inaugural award. The second YAAY will start in February and will run for eight weeks through Cactus Cancer Society’s 11th Birthday Bash on April 11th! The person who raises the most money will receive a trophy, along with the title of Young Adult Cancer Advocate of the Year. If you can, try to support those that you feel are deserving of the title in any way you can – donate money, share posts on social media, print out flyers, help the nominees raise money for this organization that connects us all.

In the realm of chronic cancer, it can take a bit of time, but eventually the truth settles in; the truth that we will have this thing accompanying us for the rest of our days. Thoughts can swirl through the mind – “What will my life be now?” “Will cancer dominate my days?” “Are my best days behind me? I’m too young for that!” “What do people expect out of me now?” and so many other things. Our lives are what we make of them – how we steer our boat through the rough waters of cancer (it doesn’t matter if you have an “easy” cancer or one that requires every treatment around and then some – cancer is cancer is cancer). If we want, we can hunker down and push on through treatment without talking to another YA and then leave cancer in the dust as best we can. You could also dive headfirst into the YA community and immerse yourself in all there is. You can do anything in between – you are you, and you know yourself best and find what works for you, but try a group once or twice before deciding what you are going to end up doing. Personally, I am a fan of “the more, the merrier” and after I built up the courage to do so (…it only took seven years into cancer, but only close to three years into Zoom groups being prevalent), I…thrived in groups. I blossomed, I flourished – one thing I never expected to get out of cancer was friends, but that’s one thing that just happened. I get to have these people who understand what cancer is like – none of us can walk in each other’s shoes (even if we have the same cancer), but we know what these times feel like. We bond over our horrible commonality because we are all in the same club for years to come – it doesn’t matter what type of cancer you have or had because you are a member of the young adult cancer community for life. Even when you age out, you become a YA alum – it doesn’t matter if you are 18 or 80, you will always remember that feeling of “Oh crap, I am only starting my life/career/family, and I have CANCER?!”

We got cancer because it was luck of the draw – none of us went, “Oh boy! I have cancer! Hell yeah! Go me!” We went, “Crap. I have cancer? That explains my symptoms/scan results/blood tests/insert whatever is applicable for you here.” We didn’t eat one donut too many or not drink enough green drinks, the factory workers in our body just didn’t notice some bad cells going out, and those cells decided to go on a rampage.

So as you enter February, take a moment to pause and relax – keep yourself warm on the inside, because it isn’t on the outside (…at least here). Contemplate how the start of the year has gone – if it has been going well, let the rest of it be great! If it’s off to a bad start, well, I hope it gets better soon – especially if it is due to events or circumstances outside of your control.

Links, Links, Links!

In terms of resources, the Cancer Support Community of Los Angeles has their bi-monthly Young Adult Game Night coming up on February 24th, it will be from 8:00-9:30 PM Eastern/5:00-6:30 PM Pacific. It’s always fun – and sometimes there are prizes! So come and sit on Zoom, play some games, and meet new friends!

The Expect Miracles Foundation has also opened applications for their Financial Assistance Grants, which provides up to $1,750 for essential living expenses. The application closes on February 19th.

As always, if you ever want to reach out to me, I am on Instagram: @codyhatescancer.

Got a question for Cody or want him to write on a specific topic? Reach out to us! programs@cactuscancer.org