By Caryn Phillips This year I’m taking part in Young Adult Cancer Canada’s (YACC) Shave for the Brave. While I’m not shaving my head, I will be donating 10 inches of my long locks to help make wigs for children with hair loss issues. As Nalcor Energy is a major sponsor of this worthwhile event I’ll be taking on the scissors at the St. John’s office on March 30.
Protection and Control Engineer, Newfoundland and Labrador Hydro
For anyone who hasn’t heard of YACC, it is an organization that provides support and services for young adults dealing with cancer. Their mandate is to help the people battling cancer at this stage in their life endure challenges and issues specific to their age group. As such, YACC has created programs to help what they call ‘the forgotten generation’ face these challenges.
Caryn, right, and John Flynn, left, with the Project Execution and Technical Services team, are participating in Nalcor’s Shave for the Brave to support Young Adult Cancer Canada on March 30.
I struggled when starting to write this blog – I don’t have any personal experience with young adult cancer, no inspiring story, and I’d never really verbalized why it meant so much to me to participate. I wasn’t sure what it was that really drove me to fundraise for the cause; I just knew it was something I wanted to do. Then I talked to my friends and co-workers and the answer became obvious; I am a young adult, as are a large number of the important people in my life. I knew that should any of them be affected by cancer, I would be truly grateful for organizations such as YACC and the life-changing services they provide.
Services such as Goaltender and Retreat Yourself offer young adults the support and guidance they need to make ‘the rest of their lives the best of their lives.’ With all that in mind, raising awareness and money for such services seems the least I can do. As for donating my hair, that part was easy. I get to physically give something of myself to make a child’s life better. Something maybe money can’t provide. I am very attached to my hair, it’s part of my identity, as I’m sure is the case for a lot of people. However, if it can give one child the confidence boost that a wig may provide every inch will be worth it. The support I’ve received from my family, friends, and co-workers is just a (much appreciated, and very inspiring) bonus. The free hair cut is just the icing on the cake!
For more information on YACC, please visit their website: