As a cancer survivor and an active member in the cancer community, I have always felt inclined to be an advocate for my peers whenever I can. Personally, I remember those long days in the clinic from sun up to sun down, and how many people I had in my corner.

Among those were several survivors who became incredible role models for me and my family in our time of need. Once I began making a turn for the better I knew that not only did I want to pay it forward, I wanted to be that role model for others who were also suffering from feelings of loneliness and isolation.

I am pleased to say that I am a proud member of  Stupid Cancer’s Advisory Committee for CancerCon. Joining the Committee in 2024, its inaugural year, gave me so much joy because I was able to assist in the magical weekend that is CancerCon. My first time attending was in 2022 in Minnesota. I was admittedly unaware of what I was getting into. I had been told by my hospital about this opportunity and thought it would be a good chance to travel, network, and begin my advocacy work post-diagnosis. 

CancerCon wound up being one of the most important weekends of my life due to the people I met and the stories that I shared and heard. It truly opened my eyes to what it meant to be a survivor and allowed me to unapologetically unpack aspects of my diagnosis that I was unaware of, all while feeling seen by the community around me. 

This feeling of pure joy carried into my second CancerCon in Atlanta in 2023. This was when  I knew I wanted to get more involved with Stupid Cancer. I decided to volunteer and help with certain events throughout the weekend. This experience made me feel like I was a part of this life-changing weekend in a new way. One of my absolute favorite parts was watching so many adolescents/young adults loosen up over the course of the weekend, especially if it was their first time attending. Stupid Cancer is able to provide a lot of these attendees with a platform, often for the first time, to really dig deep and address some of their feelings in an environment that is entirely judgment-free and welcoming.

My joy culminated with last year’s CancerCon, as I was able to be a part of the Advisory Committee. This feeling of accomplishment made a weekend that already meant so much to me exponentially more special due to the fact that I was able to be a part of the planning of it all. I genuinely felt like we made a difference in the lives of the 2024 attendees and I look forward to being able to build upon what we started last year.