Stupid Cancer

GREAT mission, GREAT team! the CLOZTALK team is honored to call this org a partner & promote its good work!

CLOZTALK team
>> Jonny Imerman, co-founder

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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!

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 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 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 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.

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!

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.

i wish i had known about i2y when i had cancer, but now, as a survivor, i am thrilled to know they are out there. as a 26 year old guy, i didn't have a lot of "company" like myself to keep. i would have LOVED to have been able to find some support from others who understand the uncertainty that someone my age felt IN GENERAL without cancer, let alone the feelings that were heaped on when we discovered we would have to deal with that as well. one time, i emailed Matt about another young adult with cancer that people around here were rallying behind, and he already knew about it and was involved. i2y is truly a special organization and everyone needs to be aware of it.

This is a great organization that has really filled a vacuum in the "cancer community." As a breast cancer survivor diagnosed at 29, I have met other young women with breast cancer, but I never would have encountered the wider (and potentially more powerful) community of young adult survivors of all kinds if it were not for i[2]y. Matthew Zachary is the most tireless and dedicated advocate I have met. I don't know how he does it, but I'm glad he does!

Before i2y I had never even met anyone my age with cancer and I was intimidated by the "Races" for the cure. When I heard about a "Stupid Cancer Happy Hour" I was in! I thought it was such a great, unique idea! My husband and I attended that happy hour which was my first time meeting Matthew and I must say that I am in awe of his dedication and enthusiasm. It was also my first time being in a room full of young cancer survivors. It was truly an incredible experience for me. For the first time in the 6 years since my diagnosis I felt a sense of belonging that had been missing for so long. What I really love and find unique about i2y is that the focus is on how to help young people “live” after cancer. i2y is an invaluable resource for all young cancer survivors. Matthew has begun a revolution in how the public views young adults with cancer and has provided us with a one stop portal for support, connection, and resources.

i2y is undoubtedly the most influential organization working on behalf of the young adult cancer community. I've participated in i2y's events since its inception and continue to be amazed at the great leaps Matt Zachery has taken his organization. I'm convinced that only Matt could have turned it into such a success. The young adult cancer community is so much stronger and united than ever before. Thanks to i2y, I look forward to future advances in our community.

I waited 14 years for an organization like i2y. I was diagnosed with Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia when I was 14 and searched many years for an organzation for survivors of childhood cancer. I was too old for the childhood cancer groups and too young for everything else. It wasn't until I was 28 that I found out about i2y. This organization is the best out there for young adults affected my cancer. Stupid Cancer!

I met Matthew when I was on the internet searching for information about cancer. I didn't have cancer, my sister did. I was looking for information and trying to find ways to fundraise for an event I was supposed to take part in. I found a website with piano music from a cancer survivor named, Matthew Zachary. I listened to a few examples and ordered a copy. I listened to this CD many many times and then ordered another. My sister was no longer with us and she spent a courageous 14 months battling breast cancer and died at the age of 48. She would be 52 today if cancer had not taken her life. Those CD's made the grieving a bit easier and when I listened to those I found a sort of peaceful serenity in dealing with her loss. I wished I had found this earlier and shared it with her. I ordered a few CD's for a nursing home, rehabilitation center I worked in, in hopes that cancer victims and families could find that same peace. I have many friends and relatives who are touched with this nasty thing called cancer and I have kept up with Matthew ever since that first CD. He is an awesome person and I am extremely grateful that fate brought me to his website that day. He tirelessly fights this STUPID Cancer as well as being a survivor himself. He is one of my heros and thank God for sending him to help others. He is an angel.

i[2]y has been so helpful in many aspects of my cancer battle. It's such a comfort to know that this incredible resource is available, and that there are others out there sharing the same experience. Let's beat this... STUPID CANCER!!

This is an organization with great zeal and a no nonsense approach to an under reported problem: that young cancer survivors are often stuck in limbo before, during, and after illness. I'm too young....offers tons of important information, resources, networking opportunities and brings together people from all walks of life. It is also closely tied to the medical community and often features experts on treatment and new research. I'm too young is hip and current and run by passionate individuals.

What a wonderful organization. As an artist, it is always an honor to find a spirited group to be involved with. Matthew should be celebrated for his work, and it is nice to be a part of many talented artists and visionaries. - Eliot

i2Y has been invaluable to me as a 30-something healthy active grrrl suddnely faced with stupid cancer!! It is soo important to have others in our age group who 'get it' and i2Y does that. Now I'm working on starting a local group in SW Ontario :).

i2y rocks! it offers information and opportunities for those affected by cancer to network and gain support. it is open to anyone including those that have not had cancer but are affected by it.

I wish that I'm Too Young for This had been around when my sister was diagnosed with colon cancer at the age of 35, she fought for 4 years, ultimately losing the battle. At that time there were no groups for people her age, the doctors just keep saying "you're too young to have colon cancer", but she did. Approximately 3 years ago, my niece (her daughter) was diagnosed with cancer. I know that I'm Too Young for This has been invaluable to her. The support from everyone is unbelievable and the knowledge gained, is not available anywhere else.

I found i[2]y just after I had completed treatment for Stage 4 non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. I found traditional support groups to be completely depressing and I would literally leave crying. Finding i[2]y was the best thing ever! I was able to find people in my age group who were out there living happy and productive lives as cancer survivors. i[2]y has also given me the opportunity to give back to the young adult cancer community in ways that I never could've imagined when I was diagnosed. I've made new friends and met great people!

As a newly diagnosed 27 year old brain tumor patient, I already feel welcomed into the Im too young for this organization. Due to health limitations I have not had many opportunities to go to many functions, but the ones I have gone to were amazing. I got to network with so many people and learn so much information. The stupid cancer radio show has also been a great resource for info and kinship. Thanks for all you do!

i[2]y is a great support resource for young adults with cancer. Hospitals and medical professionals in my area are clamoring to get patient support literature from i[2]y, they can't send supplies fast enough. Patients really connect with the resources, and medical professionals like them too. I'm Too Young For This! is, in my opinion, THE premier resource if you are a cancer patient under 40. No other group offers as much as they do.

As an 18-year-old high school graduate, I know for a fact that my second role, as cancer survivor, was a calling to give back and say "thank you" for being offered a second chance to live. It was with this that I become engulfed by "stupid cancer." This organization does wonderful things for cancer survivors, patients, and all those affected by the terrible disease. Their resource network extends far past that of any other charitable cancer organization that I have seen. They rarely ask for money, and when they do, it's only to support programs such as their Stupid Cancer Happy Hours and Stupid Cancer Radio Show. It is because of them that many AYA (adolescents and young adults) are finally learning about cancer and how it can affect them just as easily as their 85-year-old grandmother. Keep doing what you do, i[2]y!

This group has opened the eyes of others to the number of young adults who are affected by cancer. This is one age group the has been neglected in terms of research, awareness, and support. I2Y has changed this. This is a group that focuses on what the young adult cancer community needs. They totally rock. Join them in giving stupid cancer the bird.

I learned about I2Y only about 1 year ago and it has honestly changed my life. I am a 13 year cancer survivor- I was diagnosed with Acute Leukemia my senior year in high school in a small town in upstate NY. This organization is something brand new that fills a huge gap that is something that I never realized (at the time) I was missing. A safe place to be with people who looked like me rather than my mom or grandma who were interested in the same issues I was/am. This organization is making a difference in lives of current young cancer patients and survivors everyday by providing access to resources, education on how to get what they need and how to process what's happening to them and offering a safe environment to be themselves around other young survivors who are going through the same things and to GET BUSY LIVING TOGETHER. I only wish that this had been there when I was diagnosed and I see everyday the difference we make to other young survivors.

THE MOST AMAZING organization! When I was diagnosed with cancer it was a wild trip down a strange dark hole. Luckily, I’m Too Young For This! was there to offer friendship and support. Now a year later I am cancer free and very happy! This is a REALLY great group of people with an outstanding mission.

This organization ROCKS! It is exactly what the cancer community needs. What they do for YA's is amazing - what a great job advocating! I'm SO thankful I stumbled across this org when I did!

I'm 38 years old and have had lymphoma 5 times now since the year 2000. I can't think of another organization that I want fighting for my rights to further research than the folks at i{2}y!!!

I think this is a great organization (which I didn't know about until after I'd finished treatments), reaching out to a very underserved population. However, as I move further out of treatment, I find less here for me (looking for community, not support), and I find that the overarching tone is much too angry for my tastes. Anger eats up your soul like cancer eats up your body.

There is not much worse than having to hear the words "you have cancer", especially being between the ages of 15-39. It is such an isolating feeling to be swept from college, dating, new jobs and be thrown into the cancer community. The isolation ended when I came across the I'm Too Young For This Foundation. It provided that connection between others my age who have/are going through cancer. It also allowed me to laugh and not be so serious when dealing with Stupid Cancer (hence the name). It meant so much to me that I eventually started to give back and become a member of the leadership council. Young adults are a unique age group to get cancer with a whole new host of issues that i[2]y is fighting to break the trend of low survivor rates.

Before I was officially diagnosed with osteosarcoma, in December 2005, I was sitting in the cafeteria at school with a friend, brainstorming causes for the random bump on my arm. My friend threw out the possibility that it might be cancer, which we both immediately eschewed, but we agreed (as ten-year-olds do) that cancer was the worst possible thing that could happen to a person. Fifteen years ago, even five years ago, it was. But that was before i2y came onto the scene, redefining the cancer experience in a way that loneliness and alienation became a thing of the past. My experience with i2y has been nothing but mind-blowing; for here is an organization, better yet - a network, of *real* patients and survivors who aren't trying to sugar coat the raw and humbling experience of cancer, but rather are facing it head on, together.

I met Matthew Zachary when I interviewed him for my book on young adult cancer and have been hooked ever since. You would not know that this organization started a mere few years ago out of his apartment in Brooklyn. Their presence rivals organizations ten times their size. That is impressive to me. The thing that is so special about i2y is their ability to harness social media and use it to their advantage, not just to promote their organization, but to really start a movement. So many young adults feel like a fish out of water in the cancer community and the i2y identity gives them a home, lets them feel not so alone. He does this all with humor and an unstoppable passion that is just contagious.

As a 34 year old breast cancer survivor, these guys helped me WAY more than say, my local group of 60 year old breast cancer survivors who had 0 in common with me regarding my side effects, such as medical, pre menopause from hell, caused by chemo. Im too young for this made me feel welcome, I was not alone, and not the only one in my 30s going through very sucky cancer. Ya cant ask for a more helpful, supportive group. Rock on!! ps. it was also helpful to me that theyre on facebook, just easier to see whats going on.

I can't say enough about this organization or it's founder. Matthew Zachary has created not only an advocacy group, not only a support network, not only an online all-things-cancer-for-young-people resource guide, but a place where patients and survivors can become whole again.

I was diagnosed with colon cancer at age 31. Since my diagnosis and remission, I have been active in i[2]y, and I couldn't ask for a better organization to be a part of. Their members are all friendly and kind, giving advice and (when needed) a shoulder to cry on. Their work towards bettering the lives of those diagnosed with cancer as a young adult will certainly make a difference in the lives of those coming up behind people like me. I wouldn't be where I am in my remission without Matthew Zachary and his crew. I am so so so grateful to be considered a part of this organization. Thanks to them all for making my recovery a little easier.

I love this organization. Period. They are huge and raise a lot of money and awareness for young cancer patients and survivors. "Remission is not a cure." Despite being so big, they are totally down to earth and caring. I sent the founder Matthew Zachary and facebook message and got a reply in the same day. I don't get that from the more name brand cancer organizations.

As diagnosed with cancer at the age of 16 and now being 26, it offers a unique set of challenges that have not previously been addressed until i2y came along. I love this organization and what it stands for. I am looking forward to my continued participation in the group and to help make it stronger. Awesome organization!

i2y is by far one of the most amazing groups I have ever had the privilege of being a part of. Its founder Matthew Zachary has done an amazing job in such a short period of time in making the world aware of us young adult cancer survivors, and the help that we need. If you know what is good for you, then you will learn more about i2y and help us spread the word. We cant do it without YOU!

This organization has been an integral part of my cousin's battle against cancer. As a young woman battling this insidious disease, she has found immense support from other young people who are facing the same challenges. More than just support, her involvement with this group has energized her by giving her the ability to take *action*. Although there are many organizations that address cancer, I[2]y serves a vital role for a group that is often overlooked by other groups.

i[2]y is an amazing organization that allows young adults with cancer to cope, laugh, and find a cure. Young adult cancer is rarely recognized, and it is about time that people like us young cancer survivors are challenged to get out into the world and show people that this does happen. We need to stop cancer from happening, and this is just one way to help young people realize that this CAN happen to them, and they need to protect themselves. Matthew Zachary is an amazing man who overcame obstacle after obstacle, and he is not ashamed to tell the world to give cancer the bird! As a young adult cancer survivor, I am so relieved that more people see this experience as I do: we should laugh in its face and rip it to shreds.

My niece was diagnosed with ovarian cancer in her 20's. For the last 3 years this group has been an incredible support to her. It is so important for survivors to connect with others walking in the same shoes!

I became a part of the I'm Too Young for This Cancer Foundation approximately a year and a half ago. I was diagnosed with Ovarian Cancer at the age of 26, five years ago. Until I became aware of I2Y, I had not met a young adult cancer survivor face to face. I had found some online, but never right in front of me. Through I2Y I feel like I am part of a growing community trying to spread the word that Cancer DOES happen to young people! That it does happen and it sucks, but we are here together. I have become very involved on a local level trying to spread the word in my community. Not only has it given me a sense of purpose in the aftermath of cancer, but it has been a wonderful support for my husband as well which I am so grateful for.

My Sister has become involved in i2y after being diagnosed with ovarian cancer, and it has helped her tremendously with a solid support network. I hope they are able to continue their great work!

I2Y is a fantastic organization! Not only do they have an amazing website full of information and resources available for young adults facing cancer, but they have a weekly online radio show addressing all of the key issues of this patient population. This should definitely be the first online stop for a newly diagnosed young adult. The message of I2Y and Stupid Cancer resonates around the world through local community events hosted by and attended by young adult cancer patients and survivors. This organization provides support for a demographic that is often overlooked in a cool hip way that makes young adults excited about participating. I cannot say enough wonderful things about I2Y!

I2Y is a driving force in our generation for young adult cancer awareness. I am impressed with their high professional and ethical standards-- and their ability to hold large companies and organizations responsible. I2Y provides a much critical eye and platform for activism in our generation. In addition, they fill a niche that was completely ignored before. They are doing amazing things for the young adult survivor group.