Not today, cancer: 6 stories of motivation from young survivors

A cancer diagnosis at any age is life-changing.

But for young people, it can often feel extra unfair. It’s a time when their adult lives begin to take shape — they’re starting careers and families, working toward financial independence, travelling and setting life goals.

A cancer diagnosis for a young person also means they’re grappling with issues that might not be as pertinent to older folks: body image, dating and intimacy are all affected by cancer treatment, and there are often snap decisions that need to be made about family planning and fertility before cancer treatment starts.

At a time when they’re focusing on building more independence, a cancer diagnosis can force them into a place where they need to depend on others more than they would like. It can also be very isolating; because cancer is rare in those between the ages of 18 and 40, it can be tough to find peers who understand and can empathize.

To say cancer is an unwelcome interference is an understatement.

Global News spoke with six young Canadians who were diagnosed with cancer under the age of 40. They shared with us their stories of survival, how their lives were upended and how they’ve found the motivation to carry on, deal with the disappointment of dashed dreams and pick up the pieces of their lives after a crushing diagnosis.

Inspiring others

Kolter Bouchard, a radio host for 102.1 The Edge, was struggling with some typical life stressors and COVID-19 in 2020: his wife had just given birth to their first child, he was working from home and was in the middle of moving.

So, at age 28, when he felt a couple of bumps on his neck, the radio host didn’t really consider cancer despite it being one of Google’s top results for his symptoms.

“I had to convince myself that, no, it’s probably not that. I’m probably sick or it’ll pass,” Bouchard said.

But when the lumps multiplied and spread to the other side of the neck, he knew it was time to see a doctor — not an easy feat during the early days of the pandemic.

Soon, he had an answer: it was Hodgkin lymphoma. For a guy like Bouchard, who says he’s usually pretty good at handling emotion and uncertainty, the diagnosis was almost too much.

“I would explain situations to my wife and then I would break down in tears afterwards and just howl at the ceiling,” he said.

His daughter, only six months old at the time, was too young to understand, but Bouchard remembers being concerned about how his loved ones would react.

“I think a lot of other cancer survivors or people experiencing cancer will tell you the same thing — it feels like you need to be there for people more than they need to be there for you.”

A month after receiving his diagnosis, Bouchard started chemotherapy. A few cycles in, he heard devastating words from his doctor: “It’s not working.”

His condition continued to worsen, and his doctors switched him to something called “salvage” chemo, a “dark and morbid term,” he explained, “because essentially what they are trying to do [is] to salvage your life at that point.”

Following successful clinical trials, Bouchard marked the start of 2021 by ringing the cancer bell, signifying an end to the gruelling treatment and his newfound status of “no evidence of disease,” or NED.

Bouchard has been very open about his personal struggles on-air and across social media, and what surprised him the most was his story inspired others into action.

He says at least two listeners went for testing after hearing his story, and both were diagnosed with their own cancers.

“As crappy as it is to hear that you are the reason why someone found out they had cancer, ultimately, I imagine how much worse could it have been if they continued ignoring it,” he said.

Bouchard said the lessons he’s learned while having cancer will forever shape his future.

“Do not feel guilty about people wanting to help you — they are your friends, your loved ones, even random strangers sometimes,” he said, adding that cancer patients need to treat themselves as the main character in the story, not others,” he said.

“There is nothing more important right now than you getting through this experience. On the other hand, for people wanting to help, be there for that person, but be there in a way that they need you to be there because we all need different kinds of help.”

Forging a different path

In 2010, at age 32, Alyssa Dickey was diagnosed with multiple myeloma.

“It was a long road to actually get that diagnosis,” she explained of her rare, incurable blood cancer. “I was misdiagnosed along the way for at least two to three years.”

According to the Canadian Cancer Society, myeloma often lacks symptoms in it early stages, making it difficult to detect. And when symptoms do appear — such as muscle weakness, fatigue and frequent urination — they are ones common to many illnesses and diseases, meaning patients often have a long path of tests and procedures to receive their diagnosis.

At first, when he started noticing some symptoms, Smith said he was too embarrassed to go see a doctor — an understandable reaction when symptoms appear “down there.” In fact, many people avoid colorectal screenings out of feelings of embarrassment, studies have found.

Eventually he caved and visited a doctor, then was scheduled for a colonoscopy. While waiting for the procedure, he made the mistake of Googling his symptoms.

When he got the unfortunate news of his diagnosis, his mother was devastated.

“She could barely stand, because it’s a parent’s worst nightmare to hear that their child has cancer,” said Smith.

Smith was scheduled for a complete colon removal on Christmas Eve. His dad flew in from B.C. for his procedure and his family scheduled Christmas early that year.

“I’m just grateful, because I’ve heard from friends within the young adult community whose symptoms were not believed,” he said.