Last weekend I attended the Young Adult Cancer Canada Survivor Conference. YACC is a foundation which allows Young adults living with the challenges of Cancer to connect and to support each other. To be honest with you, I wasn’t going to attend. I figured since I already had connected with other young adults during treatment on a camping trip, I had everything I needed. After treatment I had been trying so hard to fit in with “normal” people, and that by attending this conference I would only be stamping “Cancer Girl” on my forehead. I had been attending Local Life where local YACC members meet monthly and either do activities together or simply just chat and eat. I do truly enjoy these meet ups because it’s where I can go and not be a misfit. When I first attended local life I honestly thought it would be a scene from The Fault in our stars where they sit in a circle and are forced to talk about their feelings. I was truly relieved when that didn’t happen. Now when this conference came up, I thought okay, now this is where the fault in our stars scene in going to happen. It was most certainly not. For the first time ever, I got a chance to sit at a table with people around my age with Hodgkin's Lymphoma. People that understood every word I was saying. I honestly felt a weight lifted off my shoulders. There was no pressure at all to speak up and engage in conversation but everything came so naturally. I felt a true connection with these people. I felt so connected and supported. My roommate AKA soul sister and I immediately connected. I thought where were you this entire time?! I also connected with my local life family on a whole new level. We shared our stories and experiences. I was truly grateful to be able to listen to others and speak without judgment. I was able to let my guard down and finally be myself. It was the one place where I could laugh and cry all at the same time. This conference allowed me to remove my blinders. I realized that up until then I was still in fight mode. You would think it would just dissipate once treatment ended. Not for me. I returned to school just one month after and I was trying so hard to keep up with my peers and fit in. I still had one goal in mind: to go on my work term and finally go to sea. That was my light at the end of tunnel. Well I’m happy to share with you big news. I’ve reached the light at the end of the tunnel. I have finally been approved to go to sea. Not only will I be at sea all year, I will be joining my ship this week in Aberdeen, Scotland. I’ll be working in the North Sea for the next few months. How fucking amazing is that?! Take that Cancer. This conference gave me the confidence and strength to allow me to turn another page in my story. I’m finally on a new chapter in my life. I’m still recovering and this work term will be quite a challenge mentally and physically, but I’ve always been one for a challenge. I have the mindset that everything good in life doesn’t come easy. I can’t wait to see what happens in this new chapter. I will leave on this new adventure knowing that I have a group of amazing people - My YACC family behind me supporting me. Always remember: A smooth sea never made a skillful sailor.
1 Comment
lFrances June Varden-Ruttle
8/21/2018 06:22:54 pm
keep up the good fight
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Author: Katie BarkerJust an average Sailor who battled Cancer and won! Archives
August 2018
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