Awesome Cause:
I’m Too Young For This

Mar

17

2010

Cancer. For such a small word, it packs quite the punch. It’s frightening for a person of any age. For some, finding out you’ve been diagnosed with cancer may seem like you have to put your entire life on hold. For young adults, their lives are focused on their careers, hanging out with friends, and finding the next adventure. Suddenly, instead of going to the movies, you’re going to chemo. Because cancer is usually thought of as something only older people have to deal with, it can be very difficult for young adults to cope and express what they’re going through.

That’s where the I’m Too Young for This! Cancer Foundation (i[2]y) comes in as a resource to help young adults living with cancer. They offer access to age-appropriate support services such as retreats, scholarships, counseling, online support and, according to their website, “all the things you never knew you wanted”.

In 2007 Matthew Zachary, started i[2]y as, what he calls, “a bullhorn for an underserved and disenfranchised generation. It started as a website with targeted, aggregated content that was specific to this age group.” Matthew was diagnosed with brain cancer while in college in 1995 after experiencing several blackouts and a numbness in his left hand. This was devastating to an aspiring young concert pianist. Matthew saw a need for a youth and community focused approach for dealing with cancer. For over a decade, he’s seen his dream come to life with i[2]y.

i[2]y takes a unique but inviting approach with it’s community’s healing process as it encourages the arts as a form of therapy. Not just as something to soothe the pain but to bring people together. Music, writing, painting, photography, dancing, baking, and anything else you can think is encouraged as a way to take one’s mind off troubles and heartaches they have to deal with day-to-day.

Check out Matthew’s Art of Survivorship Coalion mission statement:

“Your life is a work of art: unique, expressive and capable of taking you places that you could never imagine. Cancer doesn’t change that. Its gift is a blank canvas—and the art of survivorship is all about how you choose to get busy living.”

i[2]y’s irreverent approach to a very serious topic makes you realize the fact that, yes, “cancer is stupid”.

The website has a wealth of information on every topic imaginable specifically for this age bracket and it would be pointless to try and cover everything. In 2007, Matthew was honored as one of TIME Magazine’s Best 50 Websites, which he calls “that moment when the universe was speaking to me and said, ‘you’re doing the right thing’.”

I asked Matthew why he thinks i[2]y has been successful and he told me “Do one thing and one thing only – and do it better than anyone else. Never deviate from that.”

Would like to know how you can help?

Website: http://i2y.com/
Twitter: @StupidCancer
YouTube

Matthew has since not only regained the use of his hand but has since released two albums of beautiful original material. Click to hear!

This piece comes to you via our good friend Chad. Tell us what you think.