On Thursday, May 15th, we welcomed an incredible group of new Peer Mentors. The energy was undeniably interactive, uplifting, and full of excitement as our newest mentors officially joined the Cancer Hope Network family-- including three mentors from the Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center at Johns Hopkins M.A.P.S. community.
As part of the training, we let our mentors know they might be matched quickly, sometimes within 24 hours. That became a reality for one of our newly trained mentors who received his first match during the session and met the moment with enthusiasm and readiness to support his new mentee!
This class was particularly meaningful in helping Cancer Hope Network to fill a gap in the cancer care ecosystem for the young adult cancer community. Half of the cohort were AYA survivors or caregivers, including a mentor who became a caregiver to his AYA wife just two months after receiving his own metastatic diagnosis.
Another powerful story came from a new mentor who moved us all. Just three months after finishing treatment for metastatic prostate cancer, he became a caregiver to his daughter, an AYA breast cancer patient who was diagnosed only two months after giving birth to twins. Not long after, his wife was diagnosed with uterine cancer. We're happy to share that all are currently doing well. And, fun fact, his wife’s family owns a winery in Napa!
The session was filled with heartfelt moments, including this reflection from Mary W., a 55-year-old mentor living with metastatic breast cancer:
“I’ve never had a mentor myself, but I can speak from the heart when I say I know how important this kind of support is. I’m so excited to be a mentor and help someone.”
Ed S., a 63-year-old mentor living with advanced prostate cancer, shared a story that beautifully captured the essence of peer support:
“A little girl came home late from school, and her mother asked what had happened. The girl said her friend’s doll had broken. The mother asked, ‘Did you help her fix it?’ The girl replied, ‘No, I helped her cry.’”
Ed uses this story to show just how meaningful it is to simply be there with someone-- heart to heart.
And if you need one more reason to smile, one of our new AYA mentors is a huge WWE fan. He even shared a video of himself in the ring! His last day of chemo was unforgettable. His family surprised him with a party bus, ringing bells, and a full day of celebration.
We’re so proud of this incredible new class of mentors. Their stories, strength, and compassion are already making a difference, and we can’t wait to see the hope they’ll continue to share.
