Welcome New POGO Board Member - Jennifer Lomax
POGO is pleased to welcome Jennifer Lomax as Chair of our Development Cabinet and member of our Board of Directors.
Jennifer is Founder and Principal Consultant at Lomax & Co., an advisory firm that mobilizes strategy and implements sustainable management systems to drive superior business results. In this capacity, Jennifer worked with POGO to develop its current organizational strategy. Energetic, pragmatic and unapologetically candid, Jennifer uses her mastery of stakeholder engagement and facilitation to devise and deploy practical, high-impact business solutions. She has over a decade of experience working with organizations of all sectors and scale, including Fortune 500 companies on the client side and in strategic planning roles. Jennifer most recently served on the board of the Loeys-Dietz Syndrome Foundation of Canada.
She attained her MBA from Ivey Business School in 2011 and in 2013, Marketing Magazine named her one of Canada’s Top 30 under 30, recognizing the country’s smartest young marketers.
“I’m passionate about supporting my community and meaningful causes and pleased to join the POGO board and serve as Chair of the Development Cabinet to support POGO’s strategic, fundraising and outreach goals.”
Making Sense of my Mental Health: Fernando Da Costa’s Story
How it Started
My journey began before I was capable of having conscious memories. When I was two, my mother noticed something off. I can only assume it was my poor balance. Whenever I tried standing, I’d struggle.
In the following years, the oddities persisted. My mother continued taking me to the hospital, but each time it was waved away by my pediatrician as being a flu.
Now, my parents are immigrants from Portugal. They knew little English when they first came to Canada and, thus, were limited in communicating. My cousin had a better grasp on the language but wasn’t privy to how to approach what was happening to me or the proper questions to ask. It seemed hopeless.
Then, after two years, my parents saw an herbal doctor in Toronto. He spoke Portuguese, too. My mother was finally able to tell someone the full story in her native dialect. It was the first time it would be relayed in a cohesive manner.
I was four at this point. In the two years prior to this visit, my pediatrician continued to insist it was a flu. After my mother and the herbal doctor spoke, the herbal doctor turned to me, asking me to kneel before attempting to stand.
I did as he wanted and unsurprisingly, I was wobbly. He had an immediate inkling as to the issue—a brain tumour. He told my mother to go to the hospital, demand a CT scan, and to not leave until I got it. Now, it’s worth noting that none of my family members knew what that was. My pediatrician never mentioned it once. No, he stuck to the flu narrative.
She did as requested but still, the doctors refused. As a child, I guess radiation could cause complications. Thankfully, they eventually gave in. What they found was a tumour that had quietly grown to the size of a grapefruit. I was rushed to the operating room.
After the operation, I wasn’t meant to walk or talk, and it was thought I’d forever lack basic human functions. The early years of my life had me bound to a wheelchair.
Fun fact—my dominant hand used to be my right but, while going to physio and relearning how to use my body, I became ambidextrous.
My neurosurgeon referred to me as his miracle child. I wasn’t supposed to survive, to live to be an uncle, be in relationships, or have a life. I’ve done all of it. I defied the odds.
At 18, I was discharged from Hotel Dieu Hospital. I wouldn’t be followed again until I was about to leave for college. I hooked up with POGO and through them, I got a great counsellor in the POGO School and Work Transitions Program named Sarah.
How it’s Going
I’m 33 now and still have ill effects from the cancer. I’m traumatized, have difficulty keeping friendships, and have severe anxiety, as well as depression. I’m a mess. My memory is awful, my balance is terrible and my right side is weak. The nerve endings on my right are damaged, with my facial ones severed, giving me permanent Bell’s Palsy. The psychological effect is immense. At one point I was in cognitive behaviour therapy but the gains I made there were lost once those sessions ended.
At one point, I was even suicidal. I have scarred arms from that. I’m lost. I’m scared.
I need support, psychosocial and so much more, and I know POGO can only do so much. Sarah has put up with me for over a decade now. With her help, I’ve tried to find a job, but I still have trouble because no one wants to hire a liability
I live in solitude and isolation. I still rely a lot on my parents so, once they pass away, I fear I’ll be homeless. As someone with disabilities, I feel society has cast me aside. All of my difficulties are seen as excuses despite being medically justifiable. It’s a daily fight with unfair judgments.
Luckily, in advocating for me, Sarah has recently helped me to become part of the POGO AfterCare Clinic at Kingston General Hospital. I have been able to see a pediatric social worker who kindly referred me back to a brain injury clinic and I’m now being referred for ongoing psychosocial support. Even with Sarah’s support, it’s still a slow burn.
Regardless of my disabilities, declining mental health, and deteriorating brain tissue thanks to radiation treatment, I’m fighting to build a life. I write reviews and have cultivated relationships with companies. I’ve also written three fantasy novels. They’re unpublished, but I hope to get that rectified someday. I’m still beating the odds.
The Creeping Terror! By Jamie Irvine
Hello Boils and Ghouls,
Crypt keeper Jamie here with a spooktacular post. As someone who was born on Halloween, the day holds a special place in my heart. From the dressing up to the candy, it is easy to see why any kid would love it, but as I grew older, one of my favourite things quickly became the scary movies that come out around this time of year.
My favourites are definitely the old slasher films like the Friday the 13th, Halloween and Nightmare on Elm Street series. The general format is a group of teens go to X creepy place, are quickly stalked by some unknown entity, and then get routinely picked off one by one until all that remains are the killer and the “final girl” (obviously Jamie Lee Curtis is queen of final girls J).
To me, some of the most exhilarating moments are when the soundtrack picks up and you get that feeling that something dreadful is going to happen. That level of intense fear gets my adrenaline pumping and my imagination goes to dark places. I love it!
So, why am I talking about scary movies on a childhood cancer website? Well, the truth of the matter is, when it comes to my future health…I’m scared, very scared.
I’m afraid that my cancer is going to come back.
I’m afraid that my late effects are going to get worse.
I’m afraid that if something is discovered, I will no longer have the strength to fight back like I did before.
The fear is real and it doesn’t go away when the movie ends and the lights come on.
And, if I am being honest, I have to admit that I dread my annual POGO AfterCare Clinic appointments to monitor my health…I am scared of what they might find.
Yet, like all survivors (horror-film-final girl included), I somehow manage to pick myself up and go on. I think that for me, this strength comes from an understanding that avoidance is the worst thing I could do for my health and, most importantly, because my fate would be worse than all horror film victims combined if my mother found out I missed an appointment.
So, to other survivors reading this, believe me when I say that it is ok to be scared about your health and worried about your AfterCare visits. But the worst thing you can do is to skip them. While avoiding the threat altogether is great advice for anyone in a horror film, it's not the same for your health.
As part of his AfterCare monitoring, Jamie recently had a colonoscopy where they found some polyps—all of which were benign and removed on the same day. He says it was scary to hear, but it would have been worse if he had delayed his visit and the polyps developed into something else. Read Jamie’s funny account of his colonoscopy in Poops and Farts
Central Nervous System Tumours the Focus of 2022 POGO Symposium
Survivor Jessica Wright’s story underscores the importance of this topic
Jessica Wright was 10 years old when her migraines and struggles at school began. She remembers going to the doctor several times but it was a teacher—a childhood cancer survivor herself—who convinced her parents to insist on an MRI. Her family was shocked when Jessica was diagnosed with a pilocytic astrocytoma tumour, which Jessica describes as a slow-growing brain tumour.
Jessica’s tumour was of the central nervous system (CNS), and CNS tumours are second only to leukemias in terms of incidence rates in children. Survivors of CNS tumours often contend with significant late effects that can impact them for the rest of their lives.
From November 4 – 5, a renowned roster of speakers at the 2022 POGO Multidisciplinary Symposium on Childhood Cancer will examine clinical and scientific advances in the diagnosis and treatment of CNS tumours in children and adolescents and highlight the impact of this disease on patients, families and survivors.
“In the last decade, the pediatric oncology world has observed a dramatic improvement in our understanding of the developments and mutations that cause childhood brain tumours and how to better treat them,” says Dr. Uri Tabori, POGO Symposium co-chair and head of the pediatric brain tumour program at SickKids. “Together with new technologies, this resulted in a revolution in our approaches where we have moved away from conventional chemoradiation to novel targeted therapies, radiation and surgical techniques. These changes have had a major effect on the long-term outcome of children affected with brain tumours, and how we manage their care and tumours when they mature into adulthood. This Symposium is unique as it will provide important updates on these new opportunities as well as discuss them in the context of history and present health providers with insights into our approach to these cancers in the genomic era.”
Dr. David Hodgson, POGO Medical Director and Chair in Childhood Cancer Control, co-chairs the 2022 POGO Symposium with Dr. Tabori. “Even beyond understanding the advances in treatment and tumour biology, providing the best care for these patients involves taking on challenging value judgements, and managing the social, physical and psychological effects that a brain tumour has on the patient and their family,” adds Dr. Hodgson. “The POGO Symposium has always brought together multidisciplinary experts to provide the most current updates across a spectrum of issues. And I’m particularly pleased that we have been able to grow our collaboration with survivors to bring their voices directly into the program.”
Jessica recently made time to share more of her story with us to help paint a picture of life as a survivor of a CNS tumour.
Q: Describe what things were like for you with your original diagnosis.
Jessica: My tumour was smack in the middle of my brain so chemotherapy would not have been effective, and surgery was not an option. I was treated with radiation for six weeks but I still live with the calcified benign pilocytic astrocytoma tumour on my hypothalamus, my brain. I also live with several side effects. I struggle with balance; I move a bit slower than the average person, and my strength is very poor. I have a strong sensitivity to smells and I still suffer from migraines. I am also blind in one eye.
Q: Your parents must have had many difficult decisions to make at that time. Do you remember what that was like?
Jessica: Even though I was only 10, my parents involved me in the decision-making. The doctors gave us all the information and presented every option. They were very patient and gave us the opportunity to choose the direction we wanted to go in. The doctors looked me in the eye as much as they looked at my parents. I think that the honesty I received as a child feeds into how well I am able to advocate for myself today.
Q: What rehabilitation techniques did you undertake to address the challenges you were facing?
Jessica: After my radiation, I struggled with short-term memory. My parents and I would play memory games, word searches, Tetris, and slowly, over time, I was able to deal better with the brain fog. Now those strategies I used as a child have come back into play. My doctors back then also suggested I get special accommodations and aids for school, like having a scribe, but it was so expensive back then. Now it is different; these things are more accessible.
Q: What about any ways in which your cancer affected your personal life?
Jessica: The tumour affected how I interacted with people throughout my school years. I was sent to a vocational high school, which meant I was separated from my elementary school friends. I was teased and bullied a lot due to my disabilities.
My memory issues made learning more difficult and, to this day, my need for accommodations makes getting a job difficult. I have to guess at when disclosing my disability will be a good thing or when it will harm my chances of getting a job.
Same with dating. My psychologist told me the most important thing is to be myself and do what is best for me. I try to find creative ways to disclose my illnesses and my disabilities, and usually it involves humour.
Q: That’s a lot to deal with. Did your healthcare team provide you with any strategies to manage these psychosocial impacts?
Jessica: I am lucky that I have had the same oncology psychologist since I was a child. She has been through everything with me and has given me many coping strategies over the years. I have multiple medical issues right now and I struggle with solving them all at the same time. She counsels me that worrying about things that are out of my control will cloud my judgement. She reminds me to focus on one or two things right in front of me that I can control and to make peace with the things I can’t. Once I have done that, it clears my path and I have more capacity to deal with the harder things on my plate.
Q: You have been through so much. Has your astrocytoma had any other lasting impacts?
Jessica: In 2019, I was diagnosed with clear cell odontogenic carcinoma (CCOC), a rare intraosseous carcinoma of the jaw. I was told there is a direct link between the radiation I received as a child and the current diagnosis. I underwent a 10-hour surgery to have this cancer removed. As a result, my jawbone was removed and replaced with the fibula from my left leg and a titanium plate. My teeth on the lower right mandible were removed, as were my gums, and replaced with the skin graft on my leg (a free flap); a nerve and an artery were removed and replaced with a nerve in an artery from my leg. I had to re-learn how to speak, eat and use my jaw. I live with chronic pain each and every day.
During surgery, a papillary thyroid cancer was discovered and I then had a complete thyroidectomy, para neck dissection and then a complete neck dissection. I did physiotherapy for five months just to re-learn how to walk, and to learn to turn my head to be able to look up and down. After radioactive iodine treatment for my thyroid, I was declared cancer-free and was in remission for a year. Then a PET scan detected nodules on my lungs and a biopsy revealed CCOC in my lungs. Apparently, I am the only patient to be diagnosed with CCOC in my lungs. I just underwent experimental radiation to treat this cancer and I am currently waiting to see if the treatment worked.
Q: What are the major differences between this second diagnosis and your first?
Jessica: Getting a secondary cancer as an adult is harder. I have had to fight and advocate for my healthcare needs. Sometimes this assertiveness comes off as offensive and ruffles feathers. But I know I need to fight to stay alive and I need my healthcare team to listen. I cannot be going to clinic with a lack of trust; it is detrimental to my care. If you want your tomorrow, you have to fight today.
In 2018, Jessica Wright was a presenter in POGO’s Survivor to Survivor Network. Itwas an opportunity that enabled her to share her experiences with other survivors to help them cope with their own struggles. Jessica still describes the experience as “uplifting and empowering.”
The 2022 POGO Symposium takes place November 4 - 5 in Toronto. Register and learn more!
Elmvale Lions Club Pledges $20K for Families Affected By Cancer
For over 100 years, Lions Clubs around the world have served to improve health and wellbeing, strengthen communities and support those in need. Recently, Lions International added childhood cancer to their roster of global causes, promising to increase acts of support to families and children affected by cancer. This year, the Elmvale District Lions Club chose POGO as one of their beneficiaries of their annual truck draw, pledging $20K for POGO in 2022. In July, POGO sat down with Elmvale member, and Club president, Jenn Rebidoux to talk about their event.
POGO: Tell us about your personal experience with childhood cancer.
Jenn: I think we all have a personal story to share. Mine is our eldest son, although not a young child, was in his 20s when he was diagnosed with a rare cancer. Our community rallied around our family to help us get through the diagnosis and the grueling treatments he went through. The chemotherapy and subsequent surgeries have been life altering for him.
I think everyone knows someone who has had a difficult cancer journey. It is not hard to understand how much more challenging and stressful that would be when you are a young family and how that would amplify the situation. A young child might not even understand what is happening to them, and one parent may have to give up work to become the fulltime caregiver to their child in treatment—this on top of the rest, would be unimaginable to bear.
POGO: How did you first hear about POGO and the work we do?
Jenn: During his District Governor year, Lion Jamie Jones introduced us to POGO. He is extremely passionate about this cause and connected us with POGO’s Chief Development Officer, Lynn Wilson, and POGO Interlink Nurse Tina Hamalainen who set up a Zoom meeting for our members to learn more about the impact our possible support would have on families affected by childhood cancer. We watched an incredibly compelling video that really demonstrates what families go through when their child is diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia. I don’t think there was a dry eye in the house. We also learned about how POGO Satellite Clinics across Ontario help families stay closer to home when their child is in treatment—two of these clinics are relatively close to our Club. I believe it took about five minutes for us to decide unanimously that we would support POGO with our annual fundraiser.
POGO: $20K will have a big impact on families with a child in cancer treatment. How did you raise such a large donation?
Jenn: Our Club’s Annual Truck Draw. This campaign is a major fundraiser in our community. Annually we raffle off a Ford F-150. We are so grateful to the ongoing community support, and I believe our participants would be proud funds raised though this campaign support such a worthy cause.
POGO would like to gratefully acknowledge the Elmvale District Lions Club and all the ticket purchasers of this year’s truck draw for their support.
Pilot Project Aims to Help Youth in Childhood Cancer Treatment Achieve Academic and Career Goals
Kathryn, like many 18-year-olds, dreamed of attending university. Unlike many her age, Kathryn was undergoing treatment for neuroblastoma when her dream came true.
It was at this point that Sarah Brandon met Kathryn. Sarah is a Counsellor in the POGO School and Work Transitions Program.
“Kathryn was totally spunky and she absolutely blew me away with her motivation to be a university student,” says Sarah. “That was her number one goal. Her number two goal was to fit in and not be seen as different despite being on treatment for neuroblastoma for 14 years of her life.”
POGO Transitions typically supports adolescent and young adult (AYA) survivors of childhood cancer and brain tumours who are faced with significant late effects. These late effects can interfere with their ability to achieve their educational and career goals beyond high school. POGO Counsellors facilitate a smoother transition for these survivors.
A recent study (seeking publication), The Transition to Meaningful Activity for Childhood Cancer Survivors: Understanding the Role of the POGO School and Work Transitions Program (Stasiulis, E., Boydell, K. 2020), reported positive mental and emotional health impacts of the POGO Transitions Program on survivors. POGO hypothesized that extending this support to additional survivor groups, such as youth on-treatment patients, would result in similar outcomes.
In 2021, POGO received $1M in funding from the Slaight Family Foundation for the Program’s expansion. Part of this grant is now funding a pilot project to explore extending eligibility to the Program to include young people, like Kathryn, still receiving treatment while making decisions about their future after Grade 12.
POGO Interlink Nurses work at hospitals with specialized childhood cancer programs and help families navigate the journey of a cancer diagnosis. They identified that there is a small but increasing number of youth still on treatment at a time when they are interested and able to plan for their school and work futures.
Because these patients are facing the additional challenges related to active cancer treatment (including medical disabilities), a collaborative model has been developed in which POGO Interlink Nurses, who have expert knowledge about the clinical care path, will refer clients and collaborate with POGO Counsellors who will apply their expertise in educational and vocational counselling and support.
“Many young people in cancer treatment have a complex diagnosis and treatment protocol,” says Denise Mills, POGO’s Provincial Clinical Lead of Pediatric Oncology Nursing, and Kathryn’s long-time nurse practitioner. “At a time when their health status is uncertain, we are investing in their future and helping them to reach their goals.”
“The accessibility centre at Kathryn’s university was not accessible,” Sarah explains. “She was overwhelmed by the many challenges she faced trying to register as a student requiring accommodations because of her medical disability. Rather than getting the assistance that she required, Kathryn was sent away with a huge task list. This wore on her mental health, affecting her positive, motivated attitude as a student. This is when I had the privilege of using my role to support Kathryn."
"It was very valuable for me to have constant communication with POGO Interlink Nurse Arvinder Aulakh and Denise, who knew Kathryn and her family very, very well," adds Sarah. "They were able to give me background information that was helpful to me as Kathryn’s advocate navigating through the Accessibility Centre’s bureaucracy. I was able to speak with the manager and explain how the Accessibility Centre needed to up its game in order for Kathryn to get the support and accommodations that were rightfully hers. From there, we found professional and sympathetic ears that enabled Kathryn to achieve her incredible lifelong goal of attending university.
Tragically, Kathryn passed away shortly before completing her first year but, along the way, she educated her educators on how to support a student like her with medical disabilities. Working with Kathryn was one of the great privileges of my career and such a rewarding experience. Her motivation, wisdom and beautiful family support were not only courageous, but absolutely inspirational to me.”
The POGO Transitions/POGO Interlink pilot project aims to contribute to the continued care and support of youth who are receiving cancer treatment at hospitals with specialized childhood cancer programs and experiencing challenges in navigating the post-secondary and work worlds as a result. The objective is to address this gap in service through a collaborative model of care. Youth included in this pilot project will qualify for a one-time consultation OR ongoing Transitions counselling based on need. After their participation in the pilot project, patients and/or guardians will be surveyed/interviewed about their participation. POGO Interlink Nurses and POGO School and Work Transitions Counsellors will participate in an evaluation to measure the pilot’s impact and success.
Creative Corner with Holly
Holly Bokor's Port Illustration
Port is part of a triptych* of self-portraits about my memories from when I had cancer at age 14. A lot of medical experiences and journeys can result in feeling dehumanized, objectified. Port focuses on the wires and tools, with no identifying features of the figure. The background contains scans of old documentation from my own treatment. Though it’s a drawing of myself, the sense of identity is purposefully removed. It reflects my feelings of emotional detachment. Essentially, it’s an attempt to capture that strange dissociation that occurred while I was in treatment.
*Artwork made up of three pieces or panels
Holly is a recent graduate of Seneca College's illustration program. They find solace in expressing thoughts through line. You can find more of their work at congercine.com.
Boxing for Mental Health
18-year-old Isla MacIntosh discusses how boxing helps her cope with her mental stressors
Taneisha: Can you tell me a little bit about yourself and your experience with childhood cancer?
Isla: I was diagnosed with leukemia when I was four years old and have been in remission since the age of seven. I work at a golf course in Ottawa and I just finished my first year in the Behavioural Science Program at St. Lawrence College.
Taneisha: Other than your family, does anyone else know about your diagnosis? Did you have to miss any school due to your cancer and its treatment?
Isla: My parents mentioned it to people they knew and our surrounding neighbours and, of course, my school knew. I missed kindergarten entirely so my first year attending school in person was in Grade 1. Everyone was very supportive.
Taneisha: Do you feel you continue to get the support you need?
Isla: My sister has done everything she could to support me ever since I was young. She pretty much gave up her childhood because of me. In my early teens, I realized how big my diagnosis really was, and I needed to find an outlet to relieve stress. At 14, boxing became that outlet. My whole family is supportive of my boxing.
Taneisha: How did you discover boxing?
Isla: I found this youth recreational boxing class in Ottawa where I grew up. The coach was the first female boxing coach. She was a big inspiration to me because she had cancer so I felt that I could relate to her. She also helped me find a great boxing school when I started going to school in Kingston. Now I train 3-4 days in person and on the other days, I do dryland training. Dryland training means conditioning, running, weights and other strength activities.
Taneisha: How did boxing help you with your mental health stressors and how did it help you get through your first year of college?
Isla: When I moved away for school in Kingston, I found a safe place for boxing with nice people, which helped me not worry as much about school. Boxing is very technical. When you are in the middle of it, you have to focus on boxing and nothing else. It takes you out of any stressful situation you might feel you are in.
Taneisha: What are your goals—both for boxing and your education?
Isla: I like to compete so my goal for boxing would be to go to nationals. My goal for school is to find a full-time job that relates to behavioural science.
Taneisha: Do you have any advice for other childhood cancer survivors who are going through something similar to what you are going through?
Isla: My advice would be to find an outlet that is important to you, especially if you are older and there are external pressures. It could be sports, music or something else. An outlet can be a safe place for you to express yourself.
Taneisha Kandiah was diagnosed with leukemia when she was 18 months old. She has been in remission since the age of three. She recently graduated from the University of Ottawa in life sciences.
Virtual Learning When You Have ADHD
From the Perspective of a Childhood Cancer Survivor - Leigha Bartholomew
Being a childhood cancer survivor, I know what it is like to fall behind in school. Months of my schooling were spent in a hospital and attending weekly medical appointments. I began to feel overwhelmed thinking I’d never be able to catch up or that I wasn’t doing as well as my peers. It was never expected that I would be at the same level as everyone else while I was going through treatment, at the time I believed I just wasn’t good enough. I’m sure a lot of cancer survivors have felt the same way at one point or another.
I had a similar feeling when post-secondary schools introduced a virtual learning environment in the midst of the pandemic. I started noticing a shift in my capabilities. A new learning atmosphere meant new challenges that I couldn’t adapt to as quickly as I had in the past. Attending classes became more difficult, focusing on work and remembering to finish assignments on time developed into more of an issue than it had been just a few months before, and my motivation to be involved in class discussions decreased. On top of that, I couldn’t bring myself to speak with my professors over Zoom about the challenges that I was facing. It seemed like I was in a rut and I didn’t know how to pull myself out.
My ADHD diagnosis came just a few months after we started learning virtually. While I was familiar with ADHD, I was surprised to learn that I had the disorder myself. Adding this on top of the other issues I had with mental health (I was diagnosed with Generalized Anxiety Disorder in high school) was not something I had even considered, especially so far into my education. If someone were to look at my grades, I bet they wouldn’t have considered it either. Luckily, I didn’t have to go through these challenges all on my own.
Because mental health and learning disabilities pose a challenge for a number of young people, there are resources that have been put into place by schools to help students get through their education. In post-secondary school, there are learning strategists or assistive/adaptive technologists for students seeking academic support. Your academic advisor is also available to help you find programs or services tailored for your specific challenges.
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Being a childhood cancer survivor can further complicate things. While some survivors may already be predisposed to having mental health and learning challenges, others can develop them due to the treatments they received or other related factors and experiences. These issues can also continue into adolescence and adulthood. Since most people working in pediatric oncology are aware of these challenges, there are specific resources available to survivors and their families. POGO AfterCare Clinic professionals, such as counsellors, art therapists, clinical psychologists and social workers are some of the resources available to help cancer survivors develop strategies related to the difficulties they might be facing with school or everyday life, and POGO School and Work Transitions Counsellors can help you to access these various resources!
My advice to fellow survivors would be to understand that you are not alone if you find yourself struggling. I am sure a lot of people can relate to me when I say that I prefer in-person schooling over the virtual classroom, but that doesn’t mean it’s any less scary having to make the transition. If my own experiences have taught me anything, it’s that everyone has a different style of learning. If you need help, reach out. No matter how difficult things might seem, there are always people and programs available to students and survivors if they need help.
Doing Good for the Childhood Cancer and Survivor Community
Austin: What was it like battling cancer as a young teen?
Eloise: I was 14 years old when I was diagnosed with cancer, just weeks shy of starting my Grade 10 year. I was already trying to grapple with big questions like, “Who am I?” and “Who do I want to become?” I was busy navigating life and all things that “normal” teenagers experience. Then, on top of this quest for identity, I was suddenly confronted with a life-threatening illness. I felt overwhelmed, confused and defeated. I had no idea how to react or how to feel. There is no better way to describe it than an absolute rollercoaster of emotions.
In my opinion, the fundamental difference between young kids going through cancer and teens, is their sense of awareness. Unlike many young kids next to me on the 8th floor of SickKids, I KNEW something was wrong. Actually, I knew EXACTLY what was wrong. I had cancer—a disease I never imagined I would have, especially at 14.
Many brave young children I encountered accepted this painful journey with a sense of “normalcy.” Despite all they were going through, they maintained their positivity and love for life. This was something I could not mirror—not for lack of trying. I wanted to exude the same level of strength, courage and positivity as many of those children but I was keenly aware of my painful, frustrating and exhausting journey with cancer. People sometimes forget that teenagers are far closer to identifying as adults than they are to children, yet, they are unique and require a certain approach to their care.
Austin: In what ways does your journey with cancer still impact you today?
Eloise: Despite being cancer-free for nearly eight years, my journey through survivorship has been far from easy. Cancer continues to influence many areas of my life, both positively and negatively. On a professional level, I have built a career inspired by my experience. The Good Hood Club is a loungewear company that champions childhood cancer care, most notably by donating 50% of its profits to childhood cancer organizations like POGO. Given my journey and fortune with cancer, I constantly seek ways to give back. The Good Hood Club has provided me with a vehicle to do that.
Although cancer is a “distant memory,” the emotional turmoil it sparked is not. Daily, I battle anxiety primarily linked to having had cancer as a teen. This has been an ongoing challenge for me; however, I am committed to finding ways to help me manage it. More abstractly, cancer has taught me many invaluable life lessons. Undoubtedly, my biggest takeaway has been my appreciation and love for life.
Austin: How did you decide to start Good Hood Club as a business and how did you come up with the name?
Eloise: While studying commerce at Queen’s, I took a digital marketing class in my 3rd year. One of the projects required us to create an e-commerce-based business from scratch. While most of our classmates saw this as merely a school project, my group saw it as an opportunity to do something good. My best friend, Chloe, and I wanted to create something meaningful. We thought, “What can we sell that will do good?” Our answer, “Hoods.” We also wanted people to feel part of a more significant community, a club. Hence the name, Good Hood Club.
Austin: What does Good Hood Club mean to you, both on a personal and a professional level?
Eloise: On a professional level, I could not have asked for a better way to dive into the workforce. I have gathered experience across various areas. I have had unparalleled hands-on experience in marketing, operations, strategy, manufacturing, finance...you name it! I am incredibly grateful for the experience Good Hood Club has given me to date. Over time, I hope to watch the company grow, continuing to touch the lives of those battling childhood cancer.
On a personal level, Good Hood Club has been an invaluable healing method. The easiest way to deal with my pain is by transforming it into purpose. Good Hood Club has allowed me to do this, and for that, I am eternally grateful.
Austin: Do you think as a survivor of childhood cancer that there are enough support systems in place to help families and children?
Eloise: I think that there is always room for improvement. However, I am eternally grateful for the help and support I have received over my journey. The childhood cancer community is filled with exceptional individuals who have made invaluable contributions to the community. I would love to see additional resources in the realm of psychosocial support. For me, mental health has been a massive part of my journey with cancer; however, it has not necessarily been a massive part of my care. In my experience, cancer has been just as much a mental health disease as a physical one; yet, it is not treated as such. I hope for a future where both aspects are equally prioritized in cancer care protocols, right from the beginning.
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Austin: Do you have any advice for young adults that survived childhood cancer that are struggling to find a career that will be fulfilling for them?
Eloise: It is easy to get caught up in what you think you want and should do versus exploring what you truly want and were meant to do. As a business student, I was on a path to a corporate career. I thought that was what I wanted. The second I took the opportunity to try new things and explore, I uncovered newfound passions I wanted to pursue. My advice would be to always experiment and try. Don’t stay committed to one path until you have taken the opportunity to see what else you might want to explore.
Eloise founded Good Hood Club with her university best friend, Chloe, to make their love for hoodies more meaningful and promote comfort during stressful times. 50% of Good Hood earnings go to POGO (Pediatric Oncology Group of Ontario) and their mission to achieve the best childhood cancer care system for children, youth, survivors and their families in Ontario and beyond.
You can find Good Hood at:
Website: https://goodhoodclub.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/goodhoodclub/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/goodhood.club/
Austin is an ALL survivor who is interested in music and is an avid drummer. He’s also passionate about giving back to cancer charities that helped him and his family during their cancer journey.
