Dear Jack Foundation

Dear Jack Foundation A Powerful Voice in the Fight Against Young Adult Cancer
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Our Breathe Now Survivors Retreat in Portland has officially kicked off, and our hearts are so full as we welcome this i...
06/12/2026

Our Breathe Now Survivors Retreat in Portland has officially kicked off, and our hearts are so full as we welcome this incredible group of AYA cancer survivors to town.

Swipe through to meet the rest of our amazing participants! We are so honored to have them here 🌲✨

We're back with a few more introductions before our Breathe Now Survivors Retreat in Portland gets underway!This weekend...
06/11/2026

We're back with a few more introductions before our Breathe Now Survivors Retreat in Portland gets underway!

This weekend is all about creating a space where young adult survivors can connect and be themselves without having to explain a thing. Cancer survivorship can be so isolating; we're here to change that.

Swipe through to meet a few more of our participants! 🌲

We are just a few days away from our Breathe Now Survivors Retreat in Portland, and we want to introduce you to some of ...
06/10/2026

We are just a few days away from our Breathe Now Survivors Retreat in Portland, and we want to introduce you to some of the incredible people joining us! 🌲

There is something so comforting about being in a room full of people who just get it without having to explain a thing–and we can't wait.

Swipe through to meet a few of our participants and hear what they’re looking forward to finding this weekend!

We are so excited to have Callie leading our next Community Call, Creative Coping: Small Ways to Cope, Express, and Get ...
06/08/2026

We are so excited to have Callie leading our next Community Call, Creative Coping: Small Ways to Cope, Express, and Get Through 🎨

As a licensed art therapist, counselor, and cancer survivor, Callie will bring an incredible blend of professional expertise and deep personal understanding to the Call. She will guide us through simple writing and art prompts to help us process what we’re holding.

No artistic experience required! Just bring paper and something to write/draw with 📝

We hope to see you virtually on Tuesday, June 9th at 4PM PT/7PM ET! → https://www.dearjackfoundation.org/news-and-events/small-ways-to-cope-express-and-get-through/

When you're navigating cancer, some emotions are just hard to put into words. That’s where creative coping comes in. It ...
06/04/2026

When you're navigating cancer, some emotions are just hard to put into words. That’s where creative coping comes in. It gives your brain a different way to process—helping to move stuck emotions, put a shape to complex experiences, and create moments of relief when things feel overwhelming.

In our next Community Call, we'll explore how writing and art can be used as practical tools to cope, process, and stay connected to yourself. No artistic experience required! 🎨

We hope to see you virtually at 4PM PT/7PM ET on Tuesday, June 9th. Register now or share with someone who needs this → https://www.dearjackfoundation.org/news-and-events/small-ways-to-cope-express-and-get-through/

What an incredible weekend at !For our team, being on the ground at ASCO was all about making sure the unique needs of ...
06/03/2026

What an incredible weekend at !

For our team, being on the ground at ASCO was all about making sure the unique needs of young adult cancer patients are never overlooked or left out of the conversation amidst these massive scientific advancements.

We loved connecting with fellow patient advocates, seeing old friends, making new ones (like Wilson the therapy dog 🐶), and learning fresh ways to amplify the patient voice.

We’re headed home inspired, energized, and ready to put these insights to work for the AYA community! 💙

As we mark the beginning of , we want to highlight something that’s deeply understood within our community, but almost ...
06/01/2026

As we mark the beginning of , we want to highlight something that’s deeply understood within our community, but almost entirely invisible to those who haven't lived it.

For most AYA survivors, it never really ends. Life doesn’t just magically go back to normal when treatment stops. Frankly, "normal" doesn't even exist anymore.

Between the fear of recurrence—or management of metastatic or chronic disease—long-term side effects, financial toxicity, and the emotional toll of watching your peers move forward while your life was paused, the aftermath can be just as grueling as the diagnosis... Sometimes even more so.

What is one thing you wish people understood about life after a cancer diagnosis? Let’s talk about it below 👇

Meet Jenn 💙In 2022, Jenn was six months postpartum with her second child when she was diagnosed with HER2-positive breas...
05/29/2026

Meet Jenn 💙

In 2022, Jenn was six months postpartum with her second child when she was diagnosed with HER2-positive breast cancer. After completing intense treatments, surgeries, and a double mastectomy, she reached remission.

Jenn and her family were elated to welcome a surprise third pregnancy in 2024, but at 34 weeks pregnant, she received the news that her cancer had returned and spread to her liver and spine. Jenn was induced at 37 weeks, delivered a healthy baby boy, and began active, indefinite treatment just four weeks later.

Now 36 and a mom to three young boys, Jenn is navigating an ongoing schedule of targeted chemotherapy and immunotherapy every 21 days.

To create lasting memories together, Jenn’s LifeList wish is for an Alaskan cruise with her family. This trip is a chance for Jenn to embrace her love for adventure, feel like herself again, and give her boys an unforgettable experience.

Welcome to the Dear Jack family, Jenn—we are so honored to be in your corner.

Calling all AYAs! 📣✨If you’ve been looking for a space to connect with people who get it this year, this is your sign. W...
05/29/2026

Calling all AYAs! 📣✨

If you’ve been looking for a space to connect with people who get it this year, this is your sign. We are excited to drop our official Breathe Now retreat schedule for the rest of the year!

Cancer as a young adult comes with a unique set of challenges, but you don’t have to navigate them alone. Our Breathe Now retreats are designed specifically for AYAs to pause, connect, heal, and have some fun with a community that understands the complexities of life after cancer.

Retreats for individual survivors:
• June 11-14 in Portland, Oregon
• October 8-11 in Savannah, Georgia

Retreats for survivors & their partners:
• August 6-10 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
• September 17-21 in Golden, Colorado

Spots are limited to keep these as impactful as possible. Apply now or share this with an AYA who needs it → https://www.dearjackfoundation.org/programs/breathe-now/

Meet Matas 💙At 23, Matas was just a semester away from graduating from Harvard with a degree in mathematics and statisti...
05/28/2026

Meet Matas 💙

At 23, Matas was just a semester away from graduating from Harvard with a degree in mathematics and statistics when he was diagnosed with embryonal cancer. To focus on treatment, he had to put his academic and career goals on hold. His focus is now on recovery, navigating an intensive nine-week chemotherapy regimen following a recent surgery.

For Matas, one of the hardest parts of facing cancer as an AYA is watching his peers move forward—graduating, starting new jobs, and hitting milestones—while his own life has been put on pause. It can feel deeply isolating to constantly explain why his life looks different right now, sharing medical updates instead of celebrating the achievements he worked so hard for.

Matas’s LifeList wish is to travel to New Zealand to visit his best friend from college. This trip is a chance for Matas to not only reunite with his best friend, but to step away from life as a cancer patient and feel like himself again.

Welcome to the Dear Jack family, Matas—we are so honored to be in your corner.

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