Cactus Cancer Society is a virtual community that doesn’t believe in borders or walls; we transcend boundaries and celebrate diversity. We embrace individual thought and believe connection and creativity have the power to reset biases and catalyze change, allowing us to express our opinions and promote belonging, understanding, and collaboration. It is this strong sense of community that makes Cactus Cancer Society singular in the young adult cancer space.
Cactus Cancer Society’s mission is to provide a safe space where young adults facing cancer can connect, cope, and thrive with one another as a diverse and growing community.
Our community is AMAZING and made up of a beautifully diverse group of people. Everyone is welcome here and we have seen our community members open their hearts to other young adults facing cancer regardless of personal differences in every aspect, from race to religion to gender identity and expression. Because of this openness to one another, we are able to facilitate a safe and welcoming environment. Our community members agree to treat one another with dignity and respect, which is simply why our community is so awesome!
In order to ensure the safety and belonging of all program members, our participants agree to the following:
- CONNECT: We assert that everyone has a right to feel safe when engaging in our community.
- We ask that any information shared in our programs and events is kept confidential. This includes others’ personal information, stories, and thoughts.Â
- We ask that you come to our programs with your camera on and ready to participate.
- We ask that screenshots or videos are not taken or shared without first seeking everyone’s knowledge and consent.
- COPE: We acknowledge that everyone has unique opinions and history.
- We ask that when joining a program, everyone arrives ready to share their knowledge through the lens of their own personal experience.
- We ask that everyone respect each others’ experiences, opinions, and treatment decisions.
- THRIVE: We celebrate the inherent worth of all people.
- We welcome all young adult cancer patients, survivors, and caregivers, regardless of race, religion, sexual orientation, nationality, or gender expression.
Cactus Cancer Society is, above all, a safe space. We do not tolerate discrimination, harassment, bullying, and/or harmful messages or behaviors of any kind.
To ensure the safety of everyone involved with Cactus Cancer Society, we prioritize and respect privacy and confidentiality. One way to keep our programs confidential and respectful is to avoid taking any screenshots, photos, or recordings of Cactus Cancer Society programs and events, unless given express permission. In addition, avoid sharing these captures without permission of those in the image or recording.
Here are suggestions to ensure that you get the most out of this community:
- We support gender expression in all forms and honor the pronouns of all participants. We invite you to share yours at the top of our programs or in your displayed Zoom name.
- We are here to accommodate your needs. Please let us know if you are in need of additional assistance such as captions, audio descriptions, extra time to respond, or anything else that allows you to participate fully.
- We believe that speaking honestly is necessary to participate fully in our programs. We recommend you join us from a private space.