PDF version here - Young Adult Cancer Canada
Transcription
PDF version here - Young Adult Cancer Canada
Our Mission To help every young adult dealing with cancer in Canada by providing inspiration, information and support. Page 1 of 35 Next: Table of Contents Table of Contents YACC News Programs Events 3. Board of Directors 16. Mentors in Action 4. Message from the Chair 17. Retreat Yourself 5. Message from the Executive Director 18. Retreat Yourself East 2009 6. Office Team 19. Retreat Yourself West 2009 7. 2009-10 Highlights 20. Retreat Yourself West 2010 8. New Office Space 21. Survivor Conference 2009 9. Top 5 milestones of the past 10 years 22. Survivor Conference Quotes 10. Geoff named the Ernst and Young Social … 23. Survivor in Action 11. Website 24. We Get It New Programs 12. Goaltender Events 25. Shave for the Brave 13. Survive & Thrive Expeditions 26. Shave for the Brave: Skype Challenge 14. Survive & Thrive Quotes 27. Climb 15. Retreat Yourself for a Day 28. TD Golf Tourney 30. Volunteers in Action: Cuss-Kueber wedd… Partners 31. Supporter in Action: New Cap Financials 32. Thanks to all Supporters 33. Revenue/Expenses 34. Projections 29. Third Party Events Previous: Home Page 2 of 35 Next: Board of Directors Board of Directors Brian Vallis Jim Templeton Valerie Pike Judy Sparkes-Giannou Jack Hand Margaret Butt Chair Director Director Director Director Director Jesse DeVilla Renee Bennett Linda Barlett Director Director Director Previous: Table of Contents Page 3 of 35 Next: Message from the Chair Message from the Chair Young Adult Cancer Canada exists to support young adults with cancer and our goal is to “touch more survivors, more deeply” every year. Geoff and his team of dedicated colleagues have done that again this year and have delivered more programs to more survivors than ever before. This generation of youth are the future leaders of our country and it is critical that we give them our support at a time they need it most and in a format they can relate to. This support allows them to be better able to carry on and be as productive as they can be, no matter what they choose to do. The primary driver for YACC’s growth is the Shave for the Brave which is being propelled by an army of Shavers, volunteers, and an increasing level of corporate support. We are very grateful for the supportive community we are surrounded by. Keep up the great work. As I have the opportunity to participate in this growth, I am moved by the type of support YACC gives and gets, and I am delighted to see that the support survivors get from YACC helps them transition through cancer and helps them carry on with the rest of their lives. Previous: Board of Directors I wish to thank all supports, no matter what your role, and I want you to know, you are making a difference, and it does matter. Brian Vallis Chair of the Young Adult Cancer Canada Board of Directors Page 4 of 35 Next: Message from the Executive Director Message from the Executive Director It is with a great feeling of accomplishment and excitement that we present Young Adult Cancer Canada’s (YACC) 2009-10 Annual Report. As with each passing year, this one was focused on growth in every area of YACC. Program capacity increased, as did our office crew, and both were made possible by sustaining our revenue growth. The Shave for the Brave continued is revolution of our fund development model by maintaining its 65 per cent average annual growth in revenue. The event has grown so much we Previous: Message from the Chair moved our fiscal year-end to July 31 to allow a better balance of our human resources for two major projects, of getting heads bald and getting all pennies counted and accounted for. Maturing our operations, the internal systems that support delivery of all activities, remains a priority as it is setting the foundation from which will we build the next phase of our growth. While YACC connected with more young adults dealing with cancer than ever before in 2009-10 I am confident I will report the same next year. Page 5 of 35 This was a great year for YACC and I am as excited about our accomplishments as I am confident that our best is yet to come. On behalf of the young adults dealing with cancer YACC serves, I say a humble thank you to all who supported us in 2009-10. You are helping us change lives. Always… Live life. Love life. Geoff Eaton Founder and Executive Director Next: Office Team Office Team Geoff Eaton Lesley Morrisey Karine Chalifour Emily Geary Executive Director Managing Director Program Director Director of Fund Development May 2009-Jan 2010 Beth Cranston Duncan de Young Mike Lang Janine Wilson Director of Special Events & Initiatives Digital Media Evangelist West Coast Regional Coordinator March 2009 - Onwards Office Assistant May 2009 - July 2010 Previous: Message from the Executive Director Page 6 of 35 Next: 2009-10 Highlights 2009-10 Highlights Awareness/Advocacy: This year, we started using the Internet to promote our messages through email newsletters. Not only was this a greener alternative, it helped us reach more people in less time and helped us grow our network. We had Up To Here to send out information from the organization once a month, Shave News to keep people aware of what was going on with the Shave for the Brave, and different email lists for particular programs to keep survivors and attendees in the know. Previous: Office Team Support: Programming was unbelievable this year! Not only did we continue with our tried and true programs like Retreat Yourself; the Survivor Conference; Touch Yourself, Trust Yourself; Survivors In Action; and We Get It, we incorporated Survive and Thrive Expeditions, Goaltender, and Retreat Yourself For A Day. We look forward to helping more young adult cancer survivors with our increasingly diverse program offering. Operations: Through a long and complicated process, we moved our year-end to July 31 instead of April 30. That means this report reflects our past 15 months instead of 12. We realized having our fiscal year end roughly at the same time as our largest fundraiser was not the best practice since both require so much time so we’ve worked to balance our year a little better. Page 7 of 35 Fundraising: The Shave for the Brave exceeded our wildest expectations in 2010 and saw 998 heads Shaved and raised over $311,000—$119,000 more than the previous year! It’s safe to say we have set our expectations a little higher for 2011. Next: New Office Space New Office Space We left the craziness of Kenmount Road and moved our office to a quieter neighbourhood in the east end of St. John’s in March 2010. The traffic’s not as bad and the view is better but we’re filling up the space very quickly. Our mailing address has changed to: 18 Argyle St, Suite 201 St. John’s, NL A1A 1V3 Previous: 2009-10 Highlights Page 8 of 35 Next: Top 5 milestones of the past 10 years Top 5 milestones of the past 10 years We marked our 10th birthday on June 15, 2010. What we’ve been able to accomplish in 10 years: 5. Being able to build a network of survivors, supporters, health professionals, and partners which helps us grow bigger and better each year (about 36 per cent annually). 4. Creating programs such as Canada’s first web-based community for young adult cancer survivors and Retreat Yourself, now just five years old, and was the program that brought young adult cancer survivors together to talk about issues that affect them such as infertility, careers, family and relationships, and finances with other people who get it. 3. People have held Climbs all over the world. What started out as Geoff’s celebration of rehabilitation has become a triumph of people the world over. 2. The Shave for the Brave has become a giant annual fundraiser and has helped spread the word of young adult cancer across Canada. 1. We’re still here, a decade later, and have no plans of slowing down. Previous: New Office Space Page 9 of 35 Next: Geoff named the Ernst and Young Social Entrepr… Geoff named the Ernst and Young Social Entrepreneur of the Year for 2009 The Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year awards program is an international effort the accounting firm runs annually in many countries across the globe. Geoff was named the 2009 Entrepreneur of the Year in the Social Entrepreneur category. We’re all proud of him for being recognized for all his hard work. Previous: Top 5 milestones of the past 10 years Page 10 of 35 Next: Website Website Our website has seen a variety of activity but one thing is certain, the survivor profiles are a definite favourite and bring in an average of 542 visits every month. Paper’s great. But, we’ve found we can reach more people with digital delivery, and cut our hard costs. Our monthly newsletter Up to Here is now completely digital. We’ve also started sending out email tax receipts for donations where possible. Not only does it cut back on the paper and transport, it’s much faster! Previous: Geoff named the Ernst and Young Social En… Page 11 of 35 Next: Goaltender Goaltender Thanks to the generous funding from the Canadian Partnership Against Cancer, we were able to create Goaltender, an online tool to help young adults with their survivorship care plans and connect with other survivors around the country through a web-based community. Users can share resources, ask for advice, plan their appointments, track their medical history, and—most of all—set goals to help stay on track and take control of their lives during a period of chaos and uncharted territory. Work on this project began in November 2009 and was soft-launched by July 2010. Previous: Website Page 12 of 35 Next: Survive & Thrive Expeditions Survive & Thrive Expeditions With the wonderful new friendship between Young Adult Cancer Canada and Mike and Bonnie Lang, the Lang’s Survive & Thrive Expeditions have become a great new program for young adult survivors. From July 15-27, 2010, Mike and Bonnie took a group of survivors to Oregon for some kayaking in the rapids of the Owyhee River gorge, camping, hiking, and more. Campers had to carry all the supplies they needed for the trip in their kayaks and each day had a different theme for reflection such as isolation or relationships. Previous: Goaltender Page 13 of 35 Next: Survive & Thrive Quotes Survive & Thrive Quotes "It's one thing to talk about the issues but it's another to live them. And being outside, facing new challenges and overcoming them, it's a powerful reminder of how beautiful life is and how resilient we are as human beings. And yeah we talked and we cried and we did all that, but we really lived too. So good." Previous: Survive & Thrive Expeditions "I think that the themes that were chosen were brilliant because they related both to our cancer experience, the trip, and noncancer related issues that everyone can connect with. The sequence was awesome because it linked to a journey, the bigger picture, of life." Page 14 of 35 "I proved to myself that I could do new things, and gained a lot of confidence in myself, and in taking risks." "[I would choose] an outdoor adventure [over a traditional conference] because too many times we are told, in my case, that you can't do this or shouldn't do that because your body cannot physically handle it." Next: Retreat Yourself for a Day Retreat Yourself for a Day We partnered with Hope & Cope to pilot Retreat Yourself For A Day in Montreal in June 2009. It is a form of mini Retreat, but unlike the Retreat Yourself program, the workshop is delivered on a local level and is a one day event. Sessions were hosted by Sylvie Aubin, psychologist at the JGH and part of the McGill AYA Clinic, Gwynneth Gorman, Drama Therapist and Volunteer Coordinator for Cedars CanSuppport/Faire Face, Scott Adams, Exercise Physiologist at the Wellness Centre, and Deborah Bridgman, a three-time cancer. On a beautiful and sunny Saturday morning, nine survivors and three supporters met at the Hope & Cope Wellness Centre at the Jewish G e ne r al Hospital where Susanne O'Brien, Executive Director of Hope & Cope and a long supporter of YACC, acted has our host. Previous: Survive & Thrive Quotes Page 15 of 35 Next: Mentors in Action Mentors in Action Megan is the Supportive Care Coordinator for the Community Cancer Programs Network in Winnipeg, MB. She was a facilitator at the 2009 and 2010 Survivor Conferences and has been giving her time, expertise, and energy to us for over six years now. Megan does not only facilitate at our events, she makes sure Manitoba knows about YACC by including info on our organization in her monthly support group invitation. She is the epitome of social work and we would not be where we are today without her. Previous: Retreat Yourself for a Day Janie is the Executive Director at Callanish Society in Vancouver, BC. She got involved with YACC 2008 and has been a mentor and supporter of YACC ever since. Janie was one of our leading facilitators at RYW 2009 and 2010. Janie has facilitated over 50 cancer retreats with Callanish, and her expertise has helped take Retreat Yourself to another level as we explore alternative ways to process the cancer journey. Janie also brought new amazing facilitators on board which makes every retreat a learning experience. Page 16 of 35 Jennifer is our nurse extraordinaire at YACC. She gave her time and expertise for the first time in 2008 at the Conference where she proved her dedication, professionalism and sensibility to the cause. Since that Conference, Jenn has been involved as a facilitator at RYW2009-2010 and SC2009. Not only her nursing skills are incredible, she is also an amazing facilitator. After working with Jenn, our objective is to find other nurses across the country with the same passion and understanding of the young adult reality. Next: Retreat Yourself Retreat Yourself In 2009, 18 survivors and their supporters attended RY East at Camp Maromac, QC from July 23-27 and 23 people attended RY West at Edenvale in Abbottsford, BC from September 3-7. The weather wasn’t great but we managed to enjoy the beautiful site of Maromac. Swimming, playing tennis, volleyball tournament, walks, and relaxing gave balance to our retreat. Retreat Yourself East 2009 was defined by generosity, openness, maturity and love. We had people from Ontario, Quebec, Nova Scotia, Newfoundland, British Columbia and even some new Canadians coming from Rwanda and Algeria! The different cultures and personalities created a rich blend of survivors. The different languages could have been a challenge but they weren’t. Everybody connected on a level beyond language. Retreat Yourself West 2009 started with a powerful opening circle mixed with laughter and some tears from people covering five different provinces (British Columbia, Alberta, Manitoba, Ontario, and Newfoundland and Labrador). We practiced meditation, mindfulness, yoga, gentleness, patience, empathy, and more. Previous: Mentors in Action invigorating colours, and interesting textures. This is a habit we have now incorporated into all Retreats and Conferences. Retreat Yourself West, the only retreat for 2010, was held from May 27-31, 2010 at Edenvale. A total of 23 survivors and supporters got together for a weekend of relaxation and bonding. Our facilitators were incredible and dealt with the good, the bad, and the ugly wonderfully. We spoke about emotional health, relationships, finances, lifestyle changes, and loss and grief. These discussions were filled with honesty, laughter, and tears. We created a Wall of Wisdom by decorating a large piece of canvas with inspiring words, Page 17 of 35 Next: Retreat Yourself East 2009 Retreat Yourself East 2009 “The retreat was full of laughs, tears and inspiration. I would recommend any young adult dealing with cancer consider attending. Thanks YACC.” “This weekend was helpful because I have got what I wanted. Folks have inspired me and encouraged me on my struggle and I am no longer alone.” Previous: Retreat Yourself Page 18 of 35 Next: Retreat Yourself West 2009 Retreat Yourself West 2009 “First of all, I would like to say as a whole, now completely utterly impressed I am with the YACC as a whole and overall experience. It’s wonderful to have an organization out there that truly gets the unique need of YAC survivors.” “Thank you for making it possible for the experience to enjoy life again.” Previous: Retreat Yourself East 2009 Page 19 of 35 Next: Retreat Yourself West 2010 Retreat Yourself West 2010 “I really didn’t think coming here would help me reconnect with myself but it has. I found ‘me.’” “I needed this. I am so happy that this program is running.” Previous: Retreat Yourself West 2009 Page 20 of 35 Next: Survivor Conference 2009 Survivor Conference 2009 In the fall of 2009, 50 cancer survivors and their supporters came to Newfoundland for a little love, support, and learning at the Wilds on Salmonier Line. There were great team building activities and a trip to St. John’s for the annual Climb up Signal Hill. This was the first year we held a Conference in Newfoundland and we were thrilled to have everyone visit the place YACC calls home. Previous: Retreat Yourself West 2010 Page 21 of 35 Next: Survivor Conference Quotes Survivor Conference Quotes “Really wish the conference was longer.” “Nothing short of fantastic! Thank you so much.” “Excellent weekend, very well organized. You cared for us so well. You are very generous.” “Everything was honestly unbelievable and I am so grateful to be a part of this family. Thank you!” Previous: Survivor Conference 2009 Page 22 of 35 Next: Survivor in Action Survivor in Action We introduced the idea of Survivors in Action at the 2009 conference and many wonderful young adult cancer survivors held fundraising events and spread the word about YACC and all the things we do. Some of the great things our survivors did in the name of YACC: Daniel Stolfi created a one-man show about his cancer experience called Cancer Can’t Dance Like This and donated $400 from admission to a performance to Young Adult Cancer Canada. Cathy Hunter held a Kicking Cancer’s Ass party and raised over $2,000. Liz Knox held an art fundraiser and donated over $400. Diane Spencer held a fundraiser at her class reunion and raised over $900. Previous: Survivor Conference Quotes Page 23 of 35 Next: We Get It We Get It We Get It was released in April 2009 and has gone on to help young adults everywhere since its release. 1142 units were shipped in 2009-10 for a grand total of 2098 DVDs shipped since. “I was doing stand up one night in Toronto and a woman watching the show had attended the Retreat in 2007 and came up to me after the show and we exchanged info. She directed me to the site and I watched the video blogs and it was like they were pulling the words right from my brain and it was such a turning point for me to see others expressing themselves in a way I only wish I could. I wish I had or known about this site earlier. I had gone through the hardest part of my battle already when I finally saw the site.” – Daniel Stolfi Previous: Survivor in Action Page 24 of 35 Next: Shave for the Brave Shave for the Brave The 2010 Shave for the Brave was the biggest and baldest yet. Between Solo Shavers, schools, offices, and community events, 998 people shaved their heads and we raised over $311,000 to help support the 6,500 young adults diagnosed with cancer each year in Canada. In 2010, for the first time, YACC held a Community Shave outside of St. John’s. Mike Lang, our Regional Coordinator in Alberta, helped us organize a shave at the Southcentre Mall in Calgary. Thank you to all the fantastic volunteers who helped with registration, braiding, promoting, and cutting hair. We would like to say a special thank you to Woodford’s Training Centre, East Coast Beauty, and MC College for bringing your clippers and skilled stylists to make sure the heads are safe and the line moves swiftly. Previous: We Get It Page 25 of 35 Next: Shave for the Brave: Skype Challenge Shave for the Brave: Skype Challenge Mikey was also instrumental in organizing the first-ever Skype challenge between Glenmore Christian Academy in Alberta and Mount Pearl Intermediate in Newfoundland. The schools wanted to shave 150 heads and raise $20,000. They fell short of their head total at 142, but blew their fundraising goal out of the water with over $31,000. Way to go! Previous: Shave for the Brave Page 26 of 35 Next: Climb Climb The Climb took on a new meaning in 2009 when it incorporated the Survivor Conference and its delegates into the crowd going up Signal Hill. Overall, 213 people from the community and 49 survivors went up the hill on October 24 for a total of 4262 to date. About $20,000 was raised which means the Climb has raised over $183,000 in the last 10 years. Previous: Shave for the Brave: Skype Challenge Page 27 of 35 Next: TD Golf Tourney TD Golf Tourney TD Canada Trust continues to support us in many ways, including an annual golf tournament. We have moved our year-end to July instead of April which means both the 2009 and 2010 tournament (the 9th and 10th, consequently) have happened since our last annual report. Together, those two tournaments raised over $47,000. Thank you, TD, for your encouragement and involvement! Previous: Climb Page 28 of 35 consistant Next: Third Party Events Third Party Events T h e Daryl Gorman Memorial Walk Lisa Belanger and Desi Fuhr held the 2nd A Business class at Memorial University held continued its annual journey in 2009 and 2010. Daryl passed away in 1998 at the age of 16 from testicular cancer and his family and friend get together each June in Holyrood and walk in his memory. These two events raised about $11,000 for Young Adult Cancer Canada for a total of over $40,000 since 2001. A nnual Young Adult Cancer Survivors (YACS) Ball Hockey Tournament in September 2009. The Edmonton event had six teams, a barbeque, and raised over $900. the Nestea Challenge and raised over $600. Volunteer Kristina Roche and the Town of Torbay held their 2nd Annual Make It Light event in 2010 where people sponsor lights for the Winter Lights Celebration and over $1,200 was pledged to YACC! Rock concert for cancer: Robert Andrews organized a show with Another North, Bad Alison, and Dodgeband at The Levee in St. John’s on July 23, 2010 and was able to raise over $500. Piidea, a hair product supply company in Quebec, participated in the Tour de L'ile in Montreal in 2009 and donated over $1,400. The Red Deer Boxing Club in Red Deer, AB, held their 2nd annual Rumble in Red Deer and donated the money from the 2010 event to Young Adult Cancer Canada. The Rumble is an amateur boxing night that honours all the young adults who are fighting cancer in Canada. Breast cancer survivor Jamie Carswell was joined in the ring by approximately 20 other young adult cancer survivors to raise awareness around the fact that cancer does happen to young people. The event raised over $6,000. Fairway Insurance held a Jeans day and raised over $200. Previous: TD Golf Tourney Page 29 of 35 Next: Volunteers in Action: Cuss-Kueber wedding Volunteers in Action: Cuss-Kueber wedding Kristin Kueber’s brother, Mark Cuss, died from testicular cancer in December 2006 at the age of 27. When she married George Kueber in June 2010, they wanted to honour Mark’s memory in their celebrations and asked their guests to donate to Young Adult Cancer Canada in lieu of buying wedding gifts. The result was a generous $3,000 donation. Previous: Third Party Events “We just truly feel like we have been blessed in our lives. When really young couples get married, they are usually starting out with nothing. This wasn't the case for us. We felt that if we could use this as opportunity to raise awareness about YACC and raise some money to help with YACC activities,” said Kristin. Page 30 of 35 “Some guests included the donation money in a card to us; some just sent the donation to direct to YACC. We were amazed and touched at how many people took us up on the suggestion.” Mark is remembered often at Young Adult Cancer Canada and we’re thankful that his friends and family continue to support our organization and all the other young adults with cancer in Canada. Next: Supporter in Action: New Cap Supporter in Action: New Cap Newcap Radio has been supporting Young Adult Cancer Canada and the Shave for the Brave for quite some time. It all started with HITS-FM in St. John’s, NL, as they generously donated air time to talk about the Shave and how people could get involved. When we decided to hold a Shave in Calgary, Amp Radio Calgary was right there. People from the stations are shaving their hair, talking about the event on air, and pumping up the crowds at the malls on event day. Emma Harding, Promotions Director at Amp, appreciates Young Adult Cancer Canada for all we do. Her sister was first diagnosed with cancer in 2004 and is now battling for the second time. I believe this is what YACC is doing here in Canada. I am proud to be a part of what you are doing and think that it is something that anyone in that position should have the opportunity to access.” “I’ve always been terrified of the disease and even more so the drastic effects of the treatment. I am so proud of my sister for being brave enough to get through it once and be fighting again for a second time. I know that when she found the right kind of support group in the UK, it changed a lot for her and the way she coped. Thank you to Newcap Radio and its employees for being such wonderful supporters. We’re excited to see where this relationship takes us! Not only do we appreciate their support, Previous: Volunteers in Action: Cuss-Kueber wedding Page 31 of 35 Next: Thanks to all Supporters Thanks to all Supporters As we work to eliminate the isolation for young adults who have cancer in Canada, we have benefited from our generous corporate donors who have assisted us through their financial contributions, their advice, their guidance and their professional expertise. We couldn't do it without all of you! Previous: Supporter in Action: New Cap Page 32 of 35 Next: Revenue/Expenses Revenue Corporate Gifts Personal Gifts In Memoriam Gifts Shave for the Brave Climb Third Party Events & Golf Tourney Other Revenue Expense Retreat Yourself Survivor Conference Communications Touch Yourself, Trust Yourself We Get It - Survivor Video Online Community Wages & Benefits Operations (admin) Climb Shave for the Brave Third Party Events Goaltender Localife Support Program Development Fund Development Expense Survive & Thrive Wrong Way To Hope Excess (loss) of revenues over expenses Previous: Thanks to all Supporters 04/09 - 07/10 $138,911.00 $10,602.00 $4,442.00 $342,626.00 $25,190.00 $96,289.00 $22,702.00 $640,762.00 04/09 - 07/10 $57,821.00 $50,521.00 $13,522.00 $13,810.00 $164.00 $685.00 $347,367.00 $67,800.00 $3,640.00 $36,376.00 $19,392.00 $28,120.00 $731.00 $6,034.00 $5,370.00 $10,246.00 $34.00 $661,633.00 ($20,871.00) Page 33 of 35 Next: Projections Projections What could you do with $3.2 M? By the end of the 2010-2011 fiscal year, we expect our 11 year total to be somewhere around $3,232,225. That money has helped send 202 people to Retreat Yourself since 2005, 154 people to the Survivor Conferences since 2007, 10 people to Survive & Thrive since 2010, and has provided other tools and resources for countless other cancer survivors. Every year, we’re happy to connect more people with others who “get it.” Previous: Revenue/Expenses Page 34 of 35 Next: Thank You Thank You ... here's to another great year! Return to Young Adult Cancer.ca Previous: Projections Page 35 of 35