Welcome…

…to the online home of Chasing Rainbows Young Adult Cancer Advocacy, an initiative developed by Pat Taylor with the goal of raising awareness about the specific needs of young adults who are living with cancer, and promoting young adult voices and resources that address these needs.

Pat says…

“I became an advocate for young adults living with cancer in 1997, when my own daughter Sara was diagnosed at age 23. She dreamed of doing something about the lack of resources targeted at her age group…something to let others like her know that they weren’t alone. She agreed to have her 2.5-year struggle with cancer documented on film in Sara’s Story (Infinity Films, 2000) and also began work on a second documentary entitled Chasing Rainbows: Young Adults Living With Cancer.

Six years after Sara’s death in 2000, I completed Chasing Rainbows on her behalf and, since then, have worked to distribute it across Canada and throughout the world. On this journey, I have encountered many young adult cancer patients and survivors who are telling their own stories. They are making films, writing books, hosting radio shows, creating retreats and adventure programs designed specifically for their age group. I am impressed by their strength, passion and creativity, and I feel that the next step in fulfilling Sara’s dream is to broaden my focus so that it includes not only her projects but also a wide range of other resources in a variety of media. To signal this shift, I have developed a new platform: Chasing Rainbows Young Adult Cancer Advocacy. The goal, however, remains the same as it has always been: to help young adults speak up for themselves and support each other.”

2011 Chasing Rainbows Across Canada and Beyond!

Little did I know that when young adult cancer survivor, adventure guide and emerging filmmaker, Mike Lang and his energetic and personal trainer, Bonnie met with me here in Vancouver in December 2010, it would begin the most exciting year ever for “Chasing Rainbows” for 2011.  Mike asked me if I could help him do for his film, “Wrong Way To Hope” what I had done with “Chasing Rainbows”…and that was set up a Screening and Discussion Tour across Canada!

And we did it!  Within two months we had combined the cancer centre and wellness centre contacts that I had developed over the past 5 years with his social media young adult cancer survivor contacts and created a two month cross Canada tour that included over 30 screenings and discussion presentations.  www.wrongwaytohope.com   We had a blast! 

Mike and I flew down to New York City to attend the OMG Summit Conference in April.  I was so delighted to introduce Mike Lang to Matthew Zachary, i[2]y, Jonny Imerman, Imerman’s Angels, Matt Ferstler, Single Jingles, and a slew of other young adult cancer advocates!

Then we rejoined the “Wrong Way To Hope” tour.  In total we traveled from Victoria, B.C. to P.E.I.  I got to hook up with some old friends that I hadn’t seen since I had screened “Chasing Rainbows”.  Most importantly, Mike and I got to meet and chat with hundreds of new young adult cancer survivors who are now connected with one of the newest leading young adult cancer advocates since Geoff Eaton hit the scene with Young Adult Cancer Canada 5 years ago.

One of the biggest changes for “Chasing Rainbows” that we made just prior to the  2011 WW2H Tour was to rebrand ourselves to “Chasing Rainbows Young Adult Cancer Advocacy”  I realized that my young adult cancer advocay work was expanding to include the work of so many young adult cancer advocates, including, Mike Lang,  and so it made sense to rebrand and explore new contacts through social media networks.  Travis Gobeil created the new logo for me and the www.chasingrainbows.ca  and pat@chasingrainbows.ca  to my accounts.  I love it!  Check us out and join us on Facebook.

In May, I was able to introduce Mike and his film to the folks at CAPO and CPOP in May as part of the Wrong Way To Hope Tour.  Always great to see Suzanne O’Brien from “Hope and Cope” and Lorna Larsen from “Team Shan”.

In September I presented my “One Stop Shop: Multimedia Resources for Young Adults With Cancer” poster at the National Coalition of Oncology Nurse Navigators Conference in San Diego, California.  Other that a shocking 24 hour blackout, I had a terrific time.  A great gang of folks to share a blackout with!  NCONN is a Super organization!

Mike Lang and I joined forces again in November for the LIVESTRONG Young Adult Alliance Conference in Austin, Texas where we presented at a 75 minute Plenary Session, “The Emergence of Adolescents and Young Adults With Cancer In Film, Past, Present and Future” together.  We worked closely with Kelli Craddock of LIVESTRONG and MTV producer, Andrew Seigal and Andrew Jenks, the star from the docmentary show, “The World of Andrew Jenks”, to come up with a dynamic presentation that honoured all the young adults with cancer that have been willing to share their stories on film or television.  This was the first time since 2000 that I chose to include footage from “Sara’s Story” and “Chasing Rainbows” in a presentation.  However, Sara was one of the young adult cancer advocate pioneers to use film as the medium to voice her concerns so it made perfect sense that she be included in the “Past” segment.

When Sara and I began our work together in 1998, the voice of the young adult cancer advocate was barely a whisper, now it is a ROAR!   Sara’s work is done!   I feel that I have done what she asked me to do.  And, now my work for young adult cancer advocacy is transforming and I am keen to see where 2012 takes me. 

My “One Stop Shop” Poster presentation won the LSYAA Best Poster Award!  Wow!  A great honour! And a terrific way to top of the LSYAA Conference.

I am grateful to all the people and organizations who have helped me along the life changing path that I have been on since Sara was first diagnosed 14 years ago.  And, it is so exciting to meet so many new faces who are taking up the cause!   Sara would be proud!  I love her and I know my work is not finished, just transforming.  I have already signed up for the OMG Summit Conference in Las Vegas for 2012.  Wonder where I will be in a year from now?

Happy New Year, everyone…and keep on Chasing Rainbows!  

Pat Taylor, Founder/Director, Chasing Rainbows Young Adult Cancer Advocacy, pat@chasingrainbows.ca