My battle has been long, and overwhelming at times. I thought I was the only one. Lonely and depressed, I searched the web for some insight on how to deal with these feelings, not so much the chemo and its impressive side effects. When I found i [2] y, it was because I searched the words stupid and cancer. How excited I was to find them. Through their continued will and determination, I myself joined in the only way I knew I could. By letting others who wanted to help me do so, I was able to join with them and be able to advocate for "stupid cancer" as well as my specific rare type of Ovarian cancer. To be in your 20's, and noone else around to relate to, I'm too Young For This was what I needed. Because of them, I may have found my new calling :)
The first four months of my treatment I was in a room full of old people every 3 weeks feeling like there were no other young people with cancer near me. I finally found i[2]Y and realized there was a whole network of young people I could connect with. I listened to the Stupid Cancer show and learned things about my disease and how to help myself. I even got one on one support from the founder himself. I'm now in remission, have 6 more treatments to go, and I'm on facebook and i[2]Y almost every day talking to other people who've had cancer, supporting them and myself. I'm now an activist for young adult cancer, hope to be an ambassador someday, and feel I have a true purpose in life.
I have worked in collaboration with Matthew Zachary and I2Y for the past 3 years. They are a very dedicated and professional group of people. They are a much needed organization dedicated to assisting young adults affected by cancer.They have been a great resource for patients in this population that we come in contact with. They have been very helpful.
I2y led by Matthew Zachary filled a void for young adult cancer patients and survivors. Long overdue, i2y raises awareness, conducts a weekly radio show and is a treasure trove of information for young adults affected by cancer. One of the more recent highlights was the cancer summit for young adults, which had amazing speakers and excellent breakaway groups/workshops. With a heart of gold, tremendous energy and an internal drive that won't quit or slow down Matthew is the man!
I have deep respect and admiration for Matthew and his entire organization! Something long over due to reach out to young survivors to show them they are not alone. Matthew you had done an amazing job! Be well an dcontinue the great work! Ron Bye
This is the most innovative cancer advocacy group I've encountered. Focusing on young adult cancer survivors, they've amassed a passionate group of survivors and volunteers whose mission is to raise awareness of survivorship issues facing the young adult cancer community. Matt Zachary, Kate Goldberger and the rest of the team are creative, energetic leaders. Definitely at the top of their game!
This is a wonderful organization that does everything it can to service a somewhat neglected population in the cancer world - adolescents and young adults. It speaks their language and hosts appropriate events to support, educate and advocate for its constituency. It's motto - "Stupid Cancer" says it all!
I'm Too Young FOr This is a hip, "tell-it-like-it-is", comprehensive resource for young adults with cancer. I refer my clients to i2y regularly for information and resources that will facilitate their experience and help them to not feel so isolated from diagnosis through survivorship. The Stupid Cancer Show puts a voice to the experience of living with cancer at a time when you least expect to be focusing on your health. The energy behind this peer driven network is empowering and helpful to so many young people throughout the country!
I2Y is an invaluable source for young adults touched by Cancer. Whether you need information specific to being young and facing Cancer, or you need a distraction from the pressure, I2Y significantly improves your experience.
i2y is an incredible force in the Young Adult Cancer world! As many of us know Young Adults are often left behind and misunderstood when they are diagnosed with cancer. I wish that something like this had been around when I was diagnosed in 2004 at age 20 with Level 3A Malignant Melanoma. I2Y gives young adults the forum to meet others in similar situations, vent about what they are going through and get out and have fun (as I like to say, "Laugh in Cancer's Face"). It's time to throw out the isolation of being under 40 with Cancer and bring in the power of being surrounded with others that understand and support you! It is sometimes hard to get yourself out there and talk to others about your experience and the great thing about i2y is that it's okay to feel that way because there is always something going on and when you are ready to get out and mingle i2y is there with open arms!!! If you haven't checked out i2y yet it's time to get involved!!
I[2]Y has been a big help for me. After being diagnosed and treated, finding a support group to help me had been difficult. I tried the standard ones, but they did not fit me. I heard about I[2]Y from a coworker and went to a movie night. Then a happy hour. Then a conference. I have met some wonderful and supportive people. I have made great friendships and I know where I can turn to talk about the hardships and fears that I am going through. They have helped me overcome some of my fears and put me in touch with others who I can talk about my experiences with.
MZ and his board have done an amazing job of reaching out to Young Adults batting cancer. They do it with creativity and that needed spark that so many of us young people need. He has created a movement and it will not be stopped. Kudos to him for creating a much needed space for young cancer patients and survivors to find everything that they need at their finger tips. He's also great at connecting people to other great nonprofits to help aid them. Bravo to i2y and it's leader Matthew Zachary!
Although I wish I had found I2y when I was diagnosed, it has changed my life for the better by bringing me into contact with young adults who "get" what it's like to have cancer at such a young age. These are friendships I know I will have for a lifetime and I have Matthew Zachary to thank for that and so much more! He is an inspiration for building I2y from the ground up to the amazing organization it is today and it's only going to get better from here! I2y is giving me the opportunity to advocate for myself as well as other fellow cancer survivors and patients. I had a blast at my 2nd OMG Conference and was able to hear one of my "cancer idols" speak, Erin Zammett. Thank you I2y, you rock!
MZ and team make being a young adult cancer survivor easier. i[2]y provides us with a place to go to be ourselves, not to be someone others want us to be. i[2]y helped when I was newly diagnosed and, almost more now that I am a survivor. They provide us with hope that, while we are in a minority, we aren't alone. And, when you're going through something like this, that can make ALL the difference. Survivors rule. Stupid cancer.
Through this organization, I have been empowered. I'm glad to have met people all over the country that understand and experience what I go through every day. I could not have done this without this organization. i2y ROCKS!
I only wish this organization had more mula to battle the cancer world. I would've tried selling my cancerous lymphs up on the inet if I knew that the extra change could actually change how many people know about i[2]y!!!! I freakin love you guys. Love a stupid cancer fan.
Far and beyond the hippest, directest, in cancer's face group of advocates out there. MZ, Alan, Jack & Kairol got it going and won't quit. They are engaging, well informed and good-intentioned. The cancer resources that they bring to light through the stupid cancer show and the support provided for young adults surviving cancer is first rate (and fun).
A place where you can let your hair down; when you don't have much hair. Patient to patient means truth and honesty. Thank you.
Since the time I first met founder Matthew Zachary, I have been impressed with all that he and his organization have been able to do for young adults who are living with cancer. The organization is part advocacy (more advocacy), part support group, part entertainment. They manage to educate you, entertain you and make you feel connected all at the same time.
I am a 21 year old cancer survivor and advocate. Although it has been over 15 years since I was diagnosed, I am still learning how to cope with cancer in my life. This organization helped me to realize what it means to be a survivor. It gave me the power and the opportunity to express my feelings to others who, for a change, know how I feel. Since becoming a member and doing my part to expand the organization, I have seen first-hand that this simple social interaction is the best "social medicine" for cancer survivors.
I am so glad there are organizations like I2Y. I have been involved in healthcare a long time and there are few organizatinos that are serving the need of young people with Cancer (not just children with Cancer but teenagers and young adults). It's a real grass roots effort and has both a on the ground and and web and virtual community.
I2Y is a great group to be involved in and is a great way to meet people who are going through the simalar events as yourself.
Our daughter is a young cancer survivor (diagnosed with ovarian cancer at 26 but now thank g-d cancer free). She was able to find this wonderful support group and has made many close friends over the years. Unfortunately there are not enough organizations like I2Y to give the young survivors the support that they need.
This organization is superlative- it is well organized and really focused on action and on making a difference in indvidual lives, on finding and filling a huge need in the population of young adult cancer survivors. It also makes a huge difference in the lives of these survivors, by providing information, a much needed peer group and the means to share experiences and be active and make a difference.
This organization is a powerful voice for all of the millions of young adults who were previously unrecognized as stakeholders in the fight against cancer. I’m Too Young For Young For This meets young adults wherever they are in their cancer journey and provides them with probably the most comprehensive list of resources out there. They are collaborative in nature, working hard to ensure that young adults are no longer isolated and that they have access to the tools they need to get the treatment they deserve. At the core of the hip and trendy messages put out by this group are facts, resources, and support. Thank you, I’m Too Young For This, for being a lifeline for so many people.
This website has been so powerful for me in my time of need. Just the fact that it exists gave me hope when even my optimistic oncologist wasn't able to. It moved me in such a way that I now feel compelled to get the word out in my own area about this organization and what it can do for others who felt alone and "too young" to be afraid for their lives.
i[2]y is an incredible organization that aims to provide support and resources to young people with cancer, who fall between the pediatric and "adult" demographics. in my opinion, this age group sees a significant deficit in resources, and i[2]y's mission is very important. especially for young adults who fall just above the "pediatric" window, the experience of treating and surviving cancer can be very isolating without the support that pediatrics provides. i[2]y does an extremely impressive job of filling this role.
I found out about i[2]y around my 1 year anniversary of my diagnosis (of breast cancer) this past March. I was browsing the internet because I was looking for ways to deal with the emotions I was experiencing. I came across i[2]y thru Planet Cancer. This is where I started talking to Matthew and he said he just happened to be coming to my neck of the woods to speak at a conference. Matthew took time out of his busy schedule to meet with me and fill me in on what i[2]y does for young adults with cancer. What an amazing organization!!! I really wish I would've known about this when I found out I had cancer and was going thru treatment, it would've been so helpful. I'm really looking forward to becoming more involved with i[2]y and meeting more amazing people!!
I'm Too Young For This! starts with a mission statement and follows through with dedicated, enthusiastic volunteers and staff. At once realistic and idealistic, and a bit irreverent, i2y is exactly what I, and many others, needed when they were diagnosed. It is a chance to fight back rather than pity, to join in a network that makes you feel vibrant rather than feeble. This is a unique group, working towards an ambitious goal, that works hard to achieve that goal.
Great organization that is welcoming, innovative, and well put together. They have different events to suit all kinds. Matthew and his crew of volunteers have used their experience to make sure that any young adult is not alone going through this experience. Wish they were around when I was first diagnosed but glad that even 12 years later I have place to engage with others who share my experience.
Matthew has done an amazing job of putting together and organization who truly realizes and exemplifies what their mission statement is. When I was initially diagnosed with cancer last year, i[2]y was an amazing resource and I'm so glad that it exists. It is much needed!
I[2]y is a new and innovative cancer advocacy organization focusing on the missed age group, adolescents and young adults. They are one of the very few cancer organizations effectively utilizing the best of social media to end the isolation of their demographic and importantly encourage each person to join a creative social movement of self advocacy to redefine survivorship in terms of their quality of life and what improvements must be made.
It's an honor to know this organization and its supporters. Way too many people I know have been affected by this disease. Keep up the amazing work...YOU ROCK!
You are the Best! and more needs to be done to fight this crazy thing called cancer. I really hate to hear about young people who get it.
I have met some great people through this site. People who understand me and what I am going through. Thanks for a place to have a voice and community so that we are not alone.
I was recently diagnosed, therefore new to the I2Y organization, which, by the way, they let me join even though I'm a few years older than their targeted demographic. I2Y deserves extra points for including me - ultimately letting me feel young (again!) with other cancer fighters.
i2y.org is a well-informed, intelligent support and advocacy group. Through personal experience the founder recognized a gap in a major part of our healthcare system and through sheer force of will and personality he sought to fill that gap and he has done a SPECTACULAR job. Today, whenever I encounter young people in the unfortunate situation of having new diagnosis of cancer, I know I can offer them my assistance and support AND I can refer them to i2y.org and know that they will find the additional assistance they need from their peers that I can't provide.
I was introduced to "I'm Too Young for This" a little over a year after I lost my husband to bone cancer. This organization is amazing. They have not only provided me with countless resources and information, they have also provided me with a support base and most importantly, amazing friendships. The benefit compilation CD produced my i2y, gave me a chance to share my husband's music with thousands of others. Although he lost his battle, his music will live on forever. My husband was truly an inspiration and now through i2y, I am able to carry on his fight and preserve his legacy. Thank you to everyone who is a part of i2y and has given me an opportunity to make a difference.
I was diagnosed with stage III breast cancer two days before my 35th birthday. Throughout my treatment, at one of the top ten cancer centers in the country, I felt isolated because I was always the youngest person in the waiting/chemo room. I didn't want to learn how to knit with all the other grandmothers receiving treatment, I needed peer support. I'm Too Young For This! gives me the community that I desperately need, a group of other young survivors that are getting busy living. i[2]y's Stupid Cancer Show keeps me in the loop on topics relevant to young adult survivors. I stay connected to other survivors via Facebook and through monthly "Stupid Cancer Happy Hours" where I have made many friends who know what I'm going through, because they've been there themselves. No other cancer organization is so easy and fun to engage with, gives me hope, inspiration and the resources necessary for me to live a full and happy life.
Provides an excellent resource for a highly neglected population of young cancer survivors. Tirelessly advocates for our particular needs. Creative use of multiple modes of communication to reach the young survivor.
great resource for young adults cancer survivors. I2YFT is always presenting/speaking with people in the cancer comunities to connect better with one another. Matthew has passion, humour and wisdom that he shares though this website.
I have had the pleasure and honor of working with i2y for several years. Matthew and his team are dedicated, professional, creative, knowledgeable, passionate and formidable! I simply cannot thank them enough for providing much needed information and support to our young adult population. As a professional in the field, I refer every single one of my YA patients to i2y and they are ever grateful.
I found i2y not long after I was diagnosed with thyroid cancer. My doctor's blew me off because I had the "easy" cancer and because I was young. People don't die from thyroid cancer so why should I be upset? Except that I was an emotional mess and needed someone even remotely close to my age who had been through this cancer crap. I found it in i2y. Not only did they help me through cancer but they gave me a place to volunteer and give back. I have made the most amazing friends through i2y and it's a really great feeling to be able to give back and help someone else who is like I was - feeling alone and way too young to have cancer.
So many wonderful things to say about i2y - but there's no way I would be able to fit them all here! I was diagnosed with breast cancer in February, 2009 at the age of 33. I didn't fit in anywhere - except i2y. Matthew Zachary and i2y helped me through some tough times - and most importantly got me living life again. Connecting with young adult survivors, all the great events, and the support is unmatched in the cancer world. I am proud and honored to be a part of this organization. Stupid Cancer!
When I was diagnosed--at 23--there was no such thing as I'm Too Young for This and boy could I have used it, especially now that I have seen the organization in full swing--and witnessed first hand the comfort, support and, yes, even joy, that it brings to cancer patients and survivors. I spoke at a recent event and stayed to listen to the other presenters and I actually learned a TON of useful information. I am an 8-year survivor and I thought I knew all there was to know. I was wrong. I am so grateful to I2y for existing and doing what they do for so many patients like me (and including me). Oh, and they got the Bare Naked Ladies to perform at a cancer event--hands down the coolest thing I've ever seen.
i[2]y is and has been instrumental in getting the word out about young adult cancer. Being involved with non-profits for the past few years I understand the daunting task it can be to establish yourself as legit organization - this organization has gone above and beyond in this regard and is by far the best resource for any young adult cancer survivor looking for support! I tip my hat to Matthew, his staff and all of the other thousands of volunteers that support this organization with a mission to end the isolation for young adults facing cancer!
I was diagnosed with Stage IV Hodgkin Lymphoma in January 2008. I was 32 at the time and by far the youngest patient in my treatment center. The two support offered to me consisted of men and women in their 50's and 60's and I longed for the support of my peers. It was when I attended I2Y's OMG Summit for Young Adults With Cancer, that I realized there were other people like me out there and I was finally able to feel at peace with what I was going through. I2Y has enabled me to get through my cancer crapness and get busy living. It is a pleasure to volunteer for this organization, in the hopes that I can provide the support I didn't receive to someone who needs it.
I volunteered as the Chair for the Young Adult Leadership Council, which I believe is one of the most valuable assets of i2y. This organization has been able to mobilize young adults who have been affected by cancer in any way and take ownership of making change. i2y represents the anti-non-profit because it does everything that a traditional non-profit does. There is no doubt that i2y has been able to make change and through continued collaboration with great organizations and support from i2yers everywhere, i2y will continue to do great things.
I came across i2y earlier this year and now can't imagine life without them. They have given me a sense of belonging when I had gone so long without that feeling. As a young adult cancer survivor it is so nice to know there are other people my own age that I can talk to and without even talking about it, I know they have gone through the same things I have. I think in today's age they take the right angle for social networking and using the best tools to get information out while making it fun and age appropriate. i2y, YOU ROCK!
I am a volunteer who originally learned about i2y as a job applicant. Thank G-d I have never had to deal with cancer but I have been so impressed with the organization and its leaders that I am doing all I can to strengthen i2y's ability to help as many survivors as possible. I am so impressed with the work i2y does and the commitment of its leaders.
I am honored to be part of such an amazing organization that is edgy and determined to fight against cancer and bring attention to the young adult cancer cause. This organization is full of determined young cancer patient survivors, caregivers, health professionals and advocates fighting for the same cause. I only hope that i2y is recognized for its achievements that have been made both locally and nationally.
I joined i[2]y in the early stages, early 2007. I had just left my last treatment in Florida, moved to Ohio and wanted to find others, my age, who had gone through what my wife and I had both experienced in my fight against a rare form of testicular cancer. The vigor that I found from meeting Matthew Zachary and the rest of i[2]y was contageous. I soon went from looking for others like me, to helping organize events locally. I then took over as Regional Director where we pushed our chapter development in to new communities. Watching other survivors interact with survivors and those going through cancer now was invigorating and just made me want to work that much harder to help this total grassroots effort keep its momentum and become the permier website for young adults. Every day they reach a new milestone. 'Stupid Cancer' has become entrenched in the cancer community! We live, breathe and sleep it! i[2]y showed us how to live with it and get on with our lives!
I am a young man in my mid twenties and have battled cancer on three different occasions. Several years ago, I was diagnosed with Hodgkin's Lymphoma and began initial treatment with ABVD. After my second cycle of chemotherapy, I was in complete remission but by the end of treatment, several months later, I relapsed. The relapse led to aggressive radiation treatment capped off with a "boost" of radiation to treat the mass. Three months after the treatment I showed no signs of the disease. Almost a year later, I was symptomatic again and several tests confirmed that the cancer had returned. With each subsequent relapse my chances of survival diminished and by the third relapse I nearly lost all hope. i2Y connects young adults (both caregivers and survivors) with each other and creates a sense of hope and community. Everyday, I would read about other young people's treatments, their successes and at times their last moments. I felt happy, sad, encouraged, devastated and many more emotions during my fight with cancer but I never ever felt alone. I2Y creates a community for young people to vent, bullshit, complain and cheer each other on. Due to my career I live in Los Angeles, California. My immediate family all live on the east coast but my I2Y family is everywhere I can get online. Thank you for the emotional support and the family. Almost three years out, I'm cancer free and engaged to a beautiful woman who happens to be a survivor herself and who introduced me to I2Y.
I came across I2Y about 2 years ago when I came across a link. I was diagnosed with leukemia in 2005 and had been trying to find an organization that dealt with young adults going through a cancer diagnosis. Thank God I came across this organization. The founder, Matthew Zachary, has such a passion for young adult cancer advocacy and it totally shows. Everyone that I have met through this organization has been such a Godsend and has showed me that even though we are dealt a horrible life card, it won't take us down! Stupid Cancer!!!
Ever since I have started volunteering for i[2]y there has been an overwhelming amount of support in my area. The local hospital, survivors, local foundations, and community can't wait to help our chapter. There are so many people out there that feel that young adult cancer patients and survivors are being under served, but i[2]y helps people. Not only has the organization helped so many people, but the leadership is outstanding. When I was planning my trip to New York I simply wanted to visit the i[2]y office, but Matthew Zachary wanted me to visit and stay for the Stupid Cancer Show as well. Matthew Zachary and Jack Bouffard are most down to earth and kind people I have ever met. When I met them I knew that I was with an organization that truly cared. From then on I knew I wanted to be more involved with i[2]y. I love working for this organization and I can't wait to set up more events in the future.
When I was diagnosed with a brain tumor at age 34 I felt alone and terrified. I2Y fills a much needed gap in the young adult cancer community and their unique approach empowers young adult survivors. I2Y will only continue to touch many more lives! Thank you!!
I have volunteered for I2Y for over a year and helped organize several happy hours. Those events are such a great way for young adult survivors to meet with others who have had similar experiences. Once we planned a happy hour to coincide with an out of town I2yer's visit for his yearly check up at MD Anderson. I think he was happy to get out of the hotel room and just relax with folks his own age. He even got a job lead from another young survivor. That's what I2Y is really all about for me: survivors connecting with other survivors.
A great organization serving and connecting young adults who have cancer. It's a lonely world when you are first diagnosed with cancer, but I'm Too Young For This! is a beacon in the darkness! Just to know there are other younger cancer patients/survivors out there is great, and I'm Too Young For This! connects us and informs us.
When I was diagnosed with cancer at 27, I found myself thrust into a world of confusing terms, life-altering decisions, strange side effects, and profound loneliness. Through I2Y and their social networking capabilities, I've been able to connect with other survivors who, through shared experiences, provide an immediate comfort in my life. I know I am not alone. Because of my connections with I2Y, I am living every day with a sense of purpose.
As a young adult with cancer, it's a pretty scary world. Your doctors don't know how to handle you, your friends don't know what to say to you, your family treats you like you're 5 again... i2y was an organization that gave me hope again! Through their online database of young adult oriented resources, I was able to find a social community that understood what I was going through. I was able to find an AWESOME camp for AYA survivors and made some life-long friends as a result. i2y has been able to teach me that cancer isn't a sentence, it's just a word! I2Y AND MATT ZACHARY ROCKS!
When I was diagnosed with cancer, I scoured the internet to find support that was targeted at my age group. But as a twenty-one year old, I found nothing. However, I continued to search the web, and after a few months I found the I2Y website. I wondered then why I hadn't found it when I first looked, and several years later when I met Matt Zachary, founder if I2Y, I learned that the I2Y website had not been up and running when I was first diagnosed, because of this I can see the huge impact I2Y has made. The organization provided me with a massive amount of resources that were easy to navigate, from scholarships to young adult cancer retreats. I2Y isn't just a web site, it is a movement of young adult cancer survivors who are uniting in an effort to get the attention this under served and essentially ignored population needs to improve survival rates and quality of life. For me, I2Y has been a valuable resource for information and support, and I have watched as it has grown to create a global community of YA cancer survivors who are unified for a common goal. Matt Zachary has given a voice to the 70,000 young adults who become cancer survivors each year- a group that did not have a voice until I2Y was created.
I2Y has done an incredible job raising awareness of the unique issues facing young adult cancer survivors. It's passionate leader, Matthew Zachary, has created a social network growing each day by helping those in similar situations to come together. It has been California Cryobank's pleasure to sponsor such a great and necessary organization for young adult survivors.
I'm Too Young For This! has filled a huge gap in the young adult cancer community. The organization has done an incredible job of increasing awareness of young adult cancer issues. In addition, it has presented an out-of-the-box approach to tackling these issues that other, larger, national organizations have been too afraid to take. The organization has attracted an army of survivors and allies and I cannot wait to see how they are mobilized to bring about change in the oncology world.
I wish I had known about i2y when I was going through treatement it would have been a great support network. Young peopole with cancer between the ages of 20-40 tend to be overlooked, the resources just don't cater for us.As a 32yo woman who has had cancer the transition back to life aftre cancer can be difficult, thank goodness for i2y. Now as a survivor I enjoy swapping stories, being able to ask questions and help others like me.
