May 2026 Newsletter

Hello, AYA Can community!

A huge thank you to everyone who showed up and shared their stories during AYA Cancer Awareness Week. It was incredible to see our community come together so vibrantly, and we are still feeling the energy from all those conversations.

As we move into May, we’re focused on keeping that momentum alive. Over the next couple of months, we’ll be busy laying the groundwork for some exciting new AYA Can initiatives and finding even more ways to strengthen our connections.

We’re just getting started—stay tuned for what’s coming next!

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Here are 13 things you can do to support AYA’s today:

1. AYA Can Updates

  • Thank you to all who joined our Community Call in April! Our next one will be held in June.

2. News 

  • Marie-Soleil Belony receives CIHR Graduate Scholarship for her outstanding work in cancer survivorship and return to work science! https://cancerandwork.ca/about/.
    She is conducting a theory-informed secondary analysis of the iCanWork intervention from the Cancer and Work | Cancer et Travail lab to explicate how and why return to work programs work in real-world settings.

Rather than focusing only on outcomes, her work examines:

– Intervention components

– Mechanisms of action

– Tailoring processes in clinical delivery

 This work is essential to strengthening:

→ Replicability

→ Scalability

→ Implementation in practice

By making Cancer and Work’s iCanWork intervention “architecture” visible, Marie-Soleil’s research contributes directly to improving how we design, deliver, and sustain return to work support for cancer survivors.

  • Article: Validation of the fear of cancer recurrence inventory-short form in long-term colorectal cancer survivors (Read the article HERE)

  • Article: Medical Assistance in Dying Use Among Adolescent and Young Adult Patients With Cancer (Read the article HERE)

  • Article: Validation of the Double Awareness Scale: A Novel Measure of Psychological Adaptation to Advanced Cancer (Read the article HERE)

  • Article: The impact and influence of healthcare narratives in the Journal of Medical Imaging and Radiation Sciences (Read the article HERE)

  • Article: Exploring Needs and Priorities in Digital Health Management for Rare Disease Patients and their Caregivers in the MedRxiv (Read the article HERE)

3.  Sleep, Health, & Wellness Lab: iCANSleep App (see attached)

Insomnia is one of the most disruptive and long-lasting consequences of a cancer diagnosis and treatment, yet survivors lack access to evidence-based interventions. My work hopes to change that. We are examining the efficacy of smartphone-delivered Cognitive Behaviour Therapy for Insomnia (CBT-I) in improving sleep in a national sample of cancer survivors.

We are recruiting cancer survivors (hematological and solid tumours) across Canada who have problems with sleep and who have either: 

A) Completed active cancer treatment at least three months ago

                                                                 or

B) Who have been considered clinically stable for at least three months

The app has been developed in both official languages.

This research is an important step toward making effective insomnia treatment accessible to cancer survivors.

Interested individuals can email icansleepapp@gmail.com or check out www.icansleep.app for more information or to determine if they are eligible.

4. AYA Cancer Priority Setting Partnership (PSP) Publication

We are proud to share that our final manuscript on the AYA Cancer Priority Setting Partnership has officially been published in BMJ Open! This publication represents the culmination of years of collaboration, dedication, and meaningful engagement with the Canadian AYA cancer community.

This work would not have been possible without the contributions of patients, caregivers, clinicians, and community partners who helped shape the priorities. We are grateful to everyone who supported this project. A heartfelt thank-you to all who shared their experiences to help identify the key areas of research that are needed to improve care for AYAs with cancer in Canada.

The article is freely available at this link: https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/16/3/e111065

The work does not end here; we look forward to continuing to work together with funders, researchers, and the broader community to meaningfully advance these priorities for AYA cancer research. Please feel free to share the article widely and help us amplify these priorities across your networks. If you are interested in collaborating or advancing this work together, we would be delighted to connect.

5. Gilda’s Toronto 

  • Talking to Children and Youth about Cancer, Supporting the Whole Family, May 7, 1 PM – 2 PM: Join the Canadian Cancer Survivor Network and Gilda’s Toronto for a webinar. Registration and more information will be available soon: CCSN Webinar Series – Canadian Cancer Survivor Network

  • Parenting While Living with Cancer, May 20, 6PM – 7 PM: This Parenting Through Cancer Workshop is designed to help equip parents, guardians, and caregivers with practical, age-appropriate strategies for talking with children about a cancer diagnosis. Register: https://gildastoronto.member365.org/public/event/details/129699e9afbe363429592141d017a03dc82a3875/1

  • Navigating Treatment Decisions with Confidence, June 10, 1PM – 2:30 PM: An interactive workshop for adults living with cancer and caregivers. Participants will learn how to prepare for cancer treatment decision-making appointments, identify key questions to ask, and engage in meaningful conversations with their care teams. Register: Navigating Cancer-Related Treatment Decisions with Confidence – Gilda’s Toronto 

  • Careful Steps Workshop, June 30, 12 PM – 1 PM: This workshop will focus on Guilt, Helplessness, and Self-Compassion to help parents explore feelings of guilt and helplessness that can come with caregiving. Through guided reflection, group conversation, and self-compassion practices, participants learn how empathy and mutual understanding can transform self-blame into acceptance and strength. This group is for parents of a child with a cancer diagnosis who are newly diagnosed, currently in treatment, or up to five years post-treatment. Register: https://gildastoronto.member365.org/public/event/details/8bb6726c33c3f15feaa4d2faa71a8bbe6b0b6514/1 

  • Practically Applying Cancer Nutrition, May 28, 7 PM – 8:30 PM: Please join nutrition professor/researcher and culinary nutrition program coordinator for Gilda’s Toronto, Chef Amy Symington, M.Sc., PhD(c) for a virtual cancer nutrition webinar and culinary demonstration. Chef Amy will highlight foods to consume for cancer prevention, during treatment, and to prevent recurrence and will discuss her evidence-based resources and recently published paper on community nutrition programming in cancer care. This program is presented by Toronto Public Library in collaboration with the West Toronto Ontario Health Team (OHT), a network of over 40 local health and social service providers working together to improve the health and well-being of communities in West Toronto. Registration will be available soon through the Toronto Public Library: Events | Toronto Public Library | BiblioCommons

6. Psychosocial CARE4Kids – Research Study Recruitment (see attached)

Most of what we know about fear of cancer recurrence comes from studies with adult survivors of cancer. We still know very little about how children and teens might worry about the chance of their cancer coming back. One big reason for this is that there aren’t any good tools to measure fear of cancer recurrence experienced by young people.

The goal of our project is to create the first research-based questionnaire about fear of cancer recurrence made just for survivors of cancer who are ages 8 to 18. We will work closely with young survivors, health care providers, and researchers to make sure the questions are clear, meaningful, and make sense for children and teens.

We are aiming to recruit 20-30 survivors of cancer (ages 8-18) to review potential survey items about fear of cancer recurrence. Please feel free to share the attached recruitment poster with anyone who may be interested!

If you would like more information or are interested in participating, please visit the following link: tinyurl.com/cancerworry

7. Health eMatters Conference

At this pioneering event brought to you by Myeloma Canada, we’ll focus on building a stronger network of myeloma and other cancer advocates and empower you to connect with even more people affected by cancer. Through hands-on workshops and inspiring keynote speaker presentations, this conference will be an opportunity to improve your digital skills, broaden your reach, and strengthen your online voice.

This in-person event will be held in Toronto, this fall (October 15th-17th, 2026), to foster real life connections between online oncology advocates.

Here are some of the great topics we will be covering during this year’s conference:

  • Making the Cold Call

  • The Future of Healthcare

  • Where Patient Input Matters at HTA

  • Mastering Grant Writing

  • Reading the Room: Tailoring your Message to your Audience

The application period will be open until June 12, 2026. Once we’ve received all applications, our review committee will be going over each one carefully. In order to ensure a diverse cross-section of voices, there will be a limit to the number of spaces allocated to each cancer group.

The conference is 100% free to attend, and again, space is at a premium. Don’t wait! Get your applications in today HERE.

8. InspireHealth – Young Adult Yoga 

Classes are FREE, delivered by videoconference, and run 1 time/week for 12 weeks with a retreat (in-person or online) at the end. Individuals can participate in the program as many times as they’d like. By participating, young adults may help contribute to practice-based evidence that is important to better understand how programs like YAY are delivered in real-world settings. Spring class days/times are Wednesdays @ 5:15-6:15 PM (PST), starting on May 6th. Interested individuals can sign-up HERE.

9. Recruitment for new Research Study (see attached)

This study will explore the experiences of movement and physical activity among young adults diagnosed with cancer, with the goal of informing the design of future movement programs in the community. We are seeking participants who:

• Are young adults aged 19 years and older (note: we do not have a firm upper age limit due to the nature of cancer among young people)

• Have received a diagnosis of cancer

• Are at any stage of the cancer trajectory (pre-treatment, on-treatment, post-treatment, or palliative care)

• Are living in Canada

Participation involves completing an online survey and possibly taking part in a one-on-one interview (videoconference or phone) and discussion group. All components of the study are optional. To thank participants for their time, individuals may receive up to three $50 gift cards depending on the level of participation.

10. Pink Pearl (see attached)

We’re excited to be hosting this conversation with Jennifer Catsburg of PMH, and would love for you to share in your respective areas.

11. Now LIVE: National Clinical Research Workforce Survey

You are invited to participate in a first-of-its-kind national survey focused on the Clinical Research Professional (CRP) workforce. This important initiative aims to better understand the current landscape, including the challenges, gaps, and opportunities facing those who play a critical role in advancing clinical trials across Canada.

Link: National Clinical Research Workforce Survey | Deadline: May 21st, 2026

Learn more about us at Clinical Research Workforce Strategy. Give us a follow on LinkedIn to stay up to date!

12. CAPO Zoom Webinar – Participatory Action Research With Adolescents and Young Adults (AYAs) With Lived Experience: Transforming Cancer Care, Together – Featuring Dr. Cheryl Heykoop

When: 8 May 2026 12:00 PM, EDT

Over the last five years, the Anew Research Collaborative at Royal Roads University has been working together with AYAs and care allies to understand their distinct experiences and needs and co-design tangible changes in AYA cancer care and support. Register HERE.

13. Team Shan

The International Breast Cancer in Young Women (BCYW) Foundation’s 2040 Initiative “First Circle BCYW Awareness” empowers individuals and organizations worldwide to drive early awareness, prevention and early detection of breast cancer in young women. Along with global partners, including Team Shan, the initiative believes that awareness begins with the people we know. The link to the press release can be read HERE.

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If you have anything you’d like us to let the AYA CAN community know about, please send it to us and we will include it in our next newsletter.

Thank you for reading!