Summer Camp 2022 – Part 3

Telling Your Cancer Story

Welcome to ACS Summer Camp! Over the next several weeks all 4 parts of summer camp will be posted here on the ACS On Campus website. Summer Camp is a great way to refresh and get inspired by new ideas to prepare for the upcoming school year. These parts will remain on the website so you can always refer back to the amazing resources we have linked!

Summer Camp – Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 4

This week’s Summer Camp blog will be focused on telling your cancer story.

Everyone starts volunteering for the American Cancer Society for a reason. Whether your close relative was diagnosed with cancer, you care about helping those around you, or maybe you have been diagnosed with cancer yourself – being comfortable with sharing your cancer story is important. ACS On Campus volunteer share their story when on stage at an event, speaking with friends, or spreading cancer awareness in the community.

Sharing Your Story

No matter how you came to ACS On Campus, you are valued in this fight. Some might not be comfortable speaking in front of a crowd on stage and that’s okay. For those who have a story and are ready to share, make it your own. Here’s one example of a shortened personal story from one of our NCYET members, Haley (ACS On Campus Lead):

“My mom was diagnosed with breast cancer when I was in elementary school. “Cancer” wasn’t in my vocabulary. All I could comprehend was that she was “sick” and sad all the time. I helped her shave her head and sat beside her during chemo treatments, but never realized what was truly happening. My mom unfortunately passed away when I was 11. My dad was suddenly left with two kids, a restaurant to run by himself, and tons of medical bills. Our community came together to save our family and honor my mom at a benefit event. I would not be where I am today without the help of others.”
– Haley, ACS On Campus Lead 2022 – 2023

Putting together your story about your cancer journey or someone you love, can be very emotional. Write down what you want to say until you’re comfortable with the vulnerability. Many students will create a 30 – 60 second “Elevator Pitch” of their reason to volunteer with ACS and ACS events events. See our Elevator Pitch resource here.

Action item: start a list of people in your life you have been diagnosed with cancer – the list might be longer than you realize!

Voice of Hope is an ACS program of cancer survivors & caregivers who volunteer their time to attend your event and share their personal cancer story. There are Voice of Hope volunteers all over the country to make your event even better with their personal touch. Learn more by watching the video or requesting a Voice of Hope here.

Sharing On Social Media

Social media can be a great outlet with share your personal story with cancer or remember someone you love with pictures and kind words. If you choose to share your story on social media, keep in mind these tips:

Be vulnerable in your captions. The fight against cancer isn’t easy, so share the experiences you’ve had. People appreciate heartfelt messages!
Make your post personal! Include photos and videos, favorite memories, etc.
Tag people! When you tag others, like family members or saying “Thanks to ___ for donating to honor …” you automatically show up on all of their friends’ feeds as well, regardless if you know them! Your story may make a bigger impact than just your personal followers/friends.

ACS commonly posts real cancer stories on their social media pages. You are not alone in the fight against cancer. View some of these stories on ACS’s Instagram (@americancancersociety).

Cancer Stories From Around The World

Lady Ganga Story → Michele Baldwin broke a world record by standup paddling over 700 miles down the Ganges River to raise awareness about cervical cancer following her diagnosis

India Savitha’s Story: HPV Vaccine (Making an Informed Choice)

“When I learned that I had cancer, I was very scared. However, after meeting with Helen, one of the navigators, I learned a lot more about cancer and felt encouraged to seek treatment. Helen served as an advisor throughout my difficult journey through chemotherapy, as she helped me learn about the side effects of treatment and how I could manage them. Now, I’m almost finished with treatment and am deeply grateful for all that the navigation team has done to help me through this time.” – 39-year-old patient with breast cancer at Kenyatta National Hospital

Action Items –

Donate to the Lady Ganga Fund to support ACS’s cervical cancer awareness initiative
Amplify the voices of our partner countries and their survivors by sharing their stories on your social media platforms!!

Putting ACS On Campus On Your Resume

Being an ACS On Campus volunteer will teach you skills that you can take onto your adult or career life – volunteerism, leadership, networking, team-building, efficient communications skills and more. Some many be preparing for college or the workforce and find sharing your story or volunteer efforts on your resume beneficial.

Examples of ACS On Campus involvement on your resume:

Director, ACS On Campus at [SCHOOL NAME]

August 2022 – Present

Delegated tasks and oversaw an executive board of over __ people
Served as event lead that raised over $__
Maintained contact with key stakeholders in the community

ACS CAN and advocacy tips on your resume

Be sure to mention any legislative bills you helped passed, Congress members you talked to, or campaigns you worked on.
How many petitions did you collect or gain signatures to?
Skills gained include advocacy, sharing your story, political grassroots tactics, and more.

LinkedIn is a great tool to grow your professional network. It’s a great idea to start your LinkedIn profile while you are in college and add to it as you go.

Upload your current resume
Add personal skills
Stay active by sharing your awards or school projects to brag about your smarts!
- Share ACS On Campus activities and pictures and tag the American Cancer Society.