JETS Swimwear has just launched a collaborative collection with Katies and the Sony Foundation’s key charity program, You Can. The new collection is available in Katies stores nationwide in an effort to raise awareness around the youth cancer campaign.
You can pick up a You Can envelope and donate used mobile phones to this worthy cause. These will then be recycled and will assist in raising money for the development of youth cancer centres across Australia specifically designed for teenage and young adult cancer sufferers.
Get some inspiration from this interview with Jess Olsen, a You Can patient who beat Hodgkin’s Lymphoma.
How did you become involved in the Sony Foundation? How did you hear about the charity?
When I was diagnosed with Cancer my doctor referred me to the Sony Foundation as she thought I'd be someone who desired to become involved in the charity. From there I fell in love with the message of the charity, the hope it brings to cancer patients and the beautiful people who work there.
How did you benefit from the support of Sony Foundation? What difference did the Sony Foundation make to you, given that you were only 15 at the time of diagnosis?
The main thing the Sony foundation gave me was hope. Hope that there would soon be age specialized facilities that were able to cater for teenagers needs in the ways that adults and children's hospitals are unable. Hope that very soon the emotional pain associated cancer would be decreased and that teenagers could be treated in a centre that allowed comfort and happiness to increase their survival rates.
Being 15 I know exactly what it's like to be out of place, to be isolated and to be alienated in a time where support, friendship and love is so necessary for recovery. This knowledge encourages me to spread the message of the charity and ensure awareness arises.
Being a teenager can be difficult time anyway, how did this charity aid your recovery process? What did Sony Foundation do specifically for you?
The charity allowed me confidence by involving me in the fundraisers and events where I was able to share my story and use my bad experiences being treated for Hodgkin's lymphoma to ensure positive change could occur in this issue.
I really felt as if I was making a difference and helping those who are unable to help themselves and that ultimately allowed me an enormous sense of self worth and purpose.
What would advice would you give to young people who are faced with a similar prognosis , how did you get through it and triumph through what must have been very distressing time?
Never give up. You are here for a reason and this is all happening for a cause. You are important and you are wanted and even though you're in pain your struggle will not go unnoticed. I wish every patient could see how amazing they are, even at their darkest days because confidence and self belief will get you through. Your emotional state is incredibly important in the healing process and hope is sometimes the best medicine.
I promise each patient that the experience will allow them to grow, to mature and to prosper and ask them to please always remember that there will always be a rainbow after the storm we call cancer. Every teen out there fighting cancer is my inspiration because stars always shine brightest in the darkness, and I see each one of them as a true soldier.
For more information, please visit www.youcan.org.au.
