Building community
Kayla shares how she has benefited from The Club community that she now takes a lead in helping to build.
My name is Kayla Young (she/her). I was diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia in March of 2018, when I was 16 years old. I am now almost 23 years old and have the amazing opportunity to share a slice of my story with you.
I am from Prince George, B.C. When I was diagnosed, it was an extremely difficult time to be uprooted to BC Children’s Hospital in Vancouver to receive treatment. It was incredibly hard on myself and my family being separated for nearly two and a half years as I underwent treatment.
However, there were many supports, groups, and communities I became a part of through my cancer journey. One of these was West Coast Kids Cancer Foundation, or WCK as I more commonly refer to it these days. When I was going through treatment, WCK was always there to support myself and teens around me as well as our families. I remember there being a few years that they actually sent pajamas for all the members of my family around Christmas time.
Through The Club, WCK has allowed me to experience some amazing retreats in the process, too. The first weekend at Camp Capilano was the most solidifying retreat I had attended post-treatment up to that point. Being part of it meant so much; being surrounded by other cancer survivors or their siblings really brought to light conversations that can be really hard to talk to “oncology muggles” about.
The Club retreat gave a sense of community, belonging, wholeness, and inclusivity. I felt so comfortable and supported throughout the whole weekend. Especially since WCK was able to produce funding in order to include me – they covered all costs including transport. This was a really meaningful part of it, because I had no stress about trying to get there to attend, being that I am from Northern BC.
The online sessions gave us a sense of education for things we felt that we may have missed out on throughout our life because of the abruptness of cancer. WCK really worked hard to make sure the workshops were things we wanted to learn or wanted information for.
The programs WCK offers are constantly changing and improving the longer we spend contributing to them as cancer survivors, current patients, or family members.
The skills I learned have translated into my everyday life as a student at university as well as my working life. I’ve gained confidence in myself and in my ways of advocating. But I have also gained confidence through the connections with other people I have met. Being able to have open conversations with others has allowed me to become more confident in my story, and that my experience is not mine alone. That it is collectively shared amongst others who have been faced with this gigantic life disruption.
I have enjoyed my participation in The Club so much that when I was approached to become a volunteer, I could not have been more excited. I am a very proud volunteer of the monthly online sessions. We attempt to help the group of participants to become closer, and build a community of people that have the same kind of lived experiences.
I think it is so important to include actual cancer survivors in this volunteer role to make sure that activities and conversations feel natural, welcoming, and genuine.
Our group chat is always a good place that we interact with, and I enjoy the weekly polls, questions, challenges, and conversations. We have the ability to lean on each other when we need support for things that the outside world just doesn't get. We are so lucky that WCK saw this need and is doing such an amazing job filling it. I am honored to be a part of it.
I’ve learned so many important skills. Self care, working in a group to coordinate meaningful activities, helping to make sure everyone feels included, accessibility, and so much more. I am so lucky to have the opportunity to make my participation more meaningful within WCK after all the life-enriching moments it has provided for me.
Hey! I'm Kelsey.
Want to learn more? Reach out to Connections Program Coordinator Kelsey Beedller at connections[at]wckfoundation.ca