got some pretty amazing things in the works and we’re very excited about getting back to you this August with more wonderful programs.
Continue readingHappy July!
March 2022 Programs!
Check out what’s happening at Cactus Cancer Society this March!
Continue readingJoin The Next Writing Workshop
The next session will start on Wednesday, February 26th, meeting each Wednesday at 5 pm PT / 7 pm CT / 8 pm ET for 2 hours via video chat through Wednesday, April 8th.
Our online, Unspoken Ink: Creative Writing Workshop is designed to take you on a journey through your cancer diagnosis and into your survivorship with a small group of your young adult cancer patient/survivor peers. Each 8-week* Writing Workshop consists of a weekly writing night attended via online video chat. We will get to know one another in an intimate, 18 person setting and address issues that transport us from initial diagnosis into the new normal and survivorship.
*This Winter 2020 session will be 7 weeks instead of the normal 8 weeks.
Where: Online video chat. We’ll send you more information about joining after you register. Please have a microphone headset and a webcam.
Who: Young adult cancer patients/survivors and young adult cancer caregivers.
(Lacuna Loft considers anyone diagnosed with cancer, at any stage of the experience, to be a survivor!)
When: The writing group meets for 2 hours each week, for 8 weeks*. A commitment to attend each week is important to group continuity and in creating a safe space. Please be on time 🙂
Interested in joining a one-night version of the writing workshop? Check out our Open Write Nights!
How does it work:
- This workshop uses the Amherst Writing and Artists (AWA) Method. The facilitator provides a writing prompt and you can use that prompt in any way you’d like to create a story over a set amount of time. Once we’ve finished our writing (yes, the facilitator writes too!), everyone is given the opportunity to read their writing out loud. Though sharing is optional, hearing your own story and hearing someone else’s, teaches us about our experiences and our stories. Once the piece is read, we reflect on the writing – what did we like, what stood out, what did we remember. Everything is considered fiction so we do not respond to the writer as a support group may, but keep the focus on the writing.
- Sometimes the prompts are about cancer, sometimes indirectly related to cancer, and sometimes not about cancer at all. Above all, the writing program emphasizes that we are more than a diagnosis.
- Following each weekly session, you may decide to submit your writing to Mallory (mallory@lacunaloft.org) for publication on LacunaLoft.org in their Young Adult Voices program section. This is not mandatory!
Sponsored in part by a grant from Servier.
Online Writing Workshop Now Forming
I am super excited to announce that our next Unspoken Ink: Young Adult Cancer Creative Writing Workshop is now forming! The group is 8 weeks long and will take you on a journey through your cancer diagnosis and into your survivorship with a small group of your young adult cancer survivor peers.
Starting Tuesday, September 24th, the Fall 2019 Program Session will meet each Tuesday for 8 weeks from 5-7 pm PT / 7-9 pm CT / 8-10 pm ET. (September 24th – November 12th).
This group is designed to take you on a journey through your cancer diagnosis and into your survivorship with a small group of your young adult cancer survivor peers. Each 8-week program session consists of a weekly writing night (Tuesdays this time around) attended via online video chat. We will get to know one another in an intimate, 15-person setting and address issues that transport us from initial diagnosis into the new normal and survivorship. Sign up will close as soon as the group is full!
Speaker Series Talk: Everything you wanted to know about sex and relationships after cancer
A few months ago we launched our newest program here at Lacuna Loft, the Speaker Series! Our 6th Speaker Series Talk is now live! You can now watch Dr. Anne Katz talk about Everything you wanted to know about sex and relationships after cancer.
Dr. Katz is an expert in the field of sexual health and wellness after cancer and further specializes in young adults. Her talk is a must see. Plus, if you want to submit your own question about sex and relationships after young adult cancer, you can do so anonymously in our Awkward Auntie program.
In this open and honest conversation about sex and relationships, Dr. Anne Katz will share the advice she has given to many YAs during and after treatment for cancer. While YAs usually find their way with dating and new or altered relationships, they often need some support and guidance, or merely an open ear and heart to help them through a challenging time. In this event for Lacuna Loft, Dr Katz will talk about disclosing your cancer history to a new potential partner, how to deal with scars and missing body parts and anything else that YOU need to be answered.
Psst…want to submit a topic for a future Speaker Series? You can do so here!
Everything You Wanted To Know About Sex And Relationships After Cancer
Everything you wanted to know about sex and relationships after cancer – Speaker Series! Join our very own, Awkward Auntie, Dr. Anne Katz for a Speaker Series talk! Submit questions today!!!
In this open and honest conversation about sex and relationships, Dr. Anne Katz will share the advice she has given to many young adult (YA) cancer survivors during and after treatment for cancer. While YAs usually find their way with dating and new or altered relationships, they often need some support and guidance, or merely an open ear and heart to help them through a challenging time. In this event for Lacuna Loft, Dr. Katz will talk about disclosing your cancer history to a new potential partner, how to deal with scars and missing body parts, and anything else that YOU need to be answered.
While this talk will not be live, you have the opportunity to submit questions! Then, the recorded talk, featuring our very own Awkward Auntie, Dr. Anne Katz, will go live on Thursday, May 10!
Psst…want to submit a topic for a future Speaker Series? You can do so here!
Speaker Series Talk: Cancer In The Workplace Research – Robyn
A few months ago we launched our newest program here at Lacuna Loft, the Speaker Series! Our 5th Speaker Series Talk is now live! You can now watch Robyn talk about her Cancer in the Workplace Research.
Robyn was a delight to talk to. She says, “I became interested in research, especially when I heard that 33% of working age cancer survivors were exiting the workforce within 5 years of their diagnosis.” Learn more in her video!
After my diagnosis with breast cancer, I was startled to hear that although 90% of working aged cancer survivors return to work, 33% of working aged cancer exit the workforce within 5 years of their diagnosis. I spent time reflecting on my experience and my personal decision to leave my current employer and embark upon a new career and wanted to find out more. I found in my personal experience that there was an expectation that after my last day of radiation I would be back to 100% which was not the case. I also found that, after putting up the biggest fight of my life, the garbage in my workplace was illuminated and I wasn’t willing to be a part of it any longer.
As a part of my transition, I found myself going from HR Professional to HR Instructor and now have the opportunity to research why working aged cancer survivors are leaving the workforce and also capture those who are still in the workforce but in different positions. I am uncovering why people are leaving or changing jobs (often to their detriment) and what employers can do to keep employees impacted by cancer in the workforce. My ultimate goal is to help employers understand the challenges cancer patients face and that recovery is not instantaneous and make the experiences of others who are transitioning back to work a little brighter.
Psst…want to submit a topic for a future Speaker Series? You can do so here!
Join The Next Online Creative Writing Group!
Update: The Winter 2018 Writing Group is now full. Please fill out the interest form below to be notified when the next group is forming.
It’s that time of the year again! The Online Unspoken Ink: Young Adult Cancer Creative Writing Group, Winter 2018 Program Session is now forming! The group is 8 weeks long and will take you on a journey through your cancer diagnosis and into your survivorship with a small group of your young adult cancer survivor peers.
Starting Tuesday, January 2nd, the Winter 2018 Program Session will meet each Tuesday for 8 weeks from 5-7 pm PT / 8-10 pm ET.
This group is designed to take you on a journey through your cancer diagnosis and into your survivorship with a small group of your young adult cancer survivor peers. Each 8-week program session consists of a weekly writing night (Tuesdays this time around) attended via online video chat. We will get to know one another in an intimate, 15 person setting and address issues that transport us from initial diagnosis into the new normal and survivorship. For the Winter 2018 Program Session, the group will consist of 15 young adult cancer survivors and caregivers. Sign up will close as soon as the group is full!
Click here to sign up to be notified when this program is announced by choosing it under ‘Programs you’re interested in.’ (Feel free to choose to be notified when other programs are announced too!)
Speaker Series Talk: Lacuna Loft’s Origin Story – Mallory
Our 4th Speaker Series talk is live! Check out Mallory’s talk on Lacuna Loft’s Origin Story in the video below!
It was really fun for me to tell Lacuna Loft’s origin story. Lacuna Loft’s beginning and my own cancer story are very intertwined (as you may have guessed since I founded the organization) and while I’ve shared snippets before in other ways on Lacuna Loft, it was nice to put it all together in a short(ish) video.
Just recently, someone sent me an email with the question, “How can I do what you do?” and it got me thinking. What is Lacuna Loft? What do we do? Where did we start? And, how did we get there? I’m asked questions all the time about starting a nonprofit, what being a woman CEO is like, where Lacuna Loft’s name comes from, and more. Well! We’re talking about all of that and more during this speaker series talk!
Psst…want to submit a topic for a future Speaker Series? You can do so here!
Cancer In The Workplace Research: Speaker Series Program Announcement!
A few months ago we launched our newest program here at Lacuna Loft, the Speaker Series! Our 5th Speaker Series Talk will launch on Wednesday, December 20th! Starting on that day, you’ll be able to watch Robyn talk about her Cancer in the Workplace Research. While the talk won’t be live, we’d love for you to submit your questions! After reading a little abstract on the talk, fill out the short form at the bottom of this post with all of your questions! Submit as many as you want and Robyn will do her best to answer them at the end of her talk!
After my diagnosis with breast cancer, I was startled to hear that although 90% of working aged cancer survivors return to work, 33% of working aged cancer exit the workforce within 5 years of their diagnosis. I spent time reflecting on my experience and my personal decision to leave my current employer and embark upon a new career and wanted to find out more. I found in my personal experience that there was an expectation that after my last day of radiation I would be back to 100% which was not the case. I also found that, after putting up the biggest fight of my life, the garbage in my workplace was illuminated and I wasn’t willing to be a part of it any longer.
As a part of my transition, I found myself going from HR Professional to HR Instructor and now have the opportunity to research why working aged cancer survivors are leaving the workforce and also capture those who are still in the workforce but in different positions. I am uncovering why people are leaving or changing jobs (often to their detriment) and what employers can do to keep employees impacted by cancer in the workforce. My ultimate goal is to help employers understand the challenges cancer patients face and that recovery is not instantaneous and make the experiences of others who are transitioning back to work a little brighter.
Psst…want to submit a topic for a future Speaker Series? You can do so here!