The fact that my mother's life was cut short is something that pushes me to always move forward and live the best life I possibly can. In a way, I feel like I can take her along with me through every experience, and in that sense, her beautiful energy and spirit will live on.
Yael Cohen
Sometimes I'll hike in the afternoon if I have meetings with New York in the morning.
There have been so many incredible moments since the start of this organization. One that stands out specifically is when an anonymous businessman triple-matched our donation to Memorial Sloan Kettering after our NYC event.
I spend time on campaign creation and implementation, anything from sitting down with the agency or with creative companies. I also meet with supporters. We've been really lucky to have various high-profile supporters.
Having been a caregiver more times than I care to count, 'StandWith' lets caregivers and patients easily update their community and post targeted tasks that community members can accept.
Cancer is something none of us are prepared to deal with. We're here to help people through the process.
When I graduated, I promptly took a job in finance, making both my pre-med and poli-sci years essentially useless - or so I thought.
StandWith has two main functions: first, updates which allows the caregiver to send out patient updates to their community in a simple way that eliminated dozens of texts, emails and calls. The second is tasks. A caregiver can request a task to be fulfilled and their community can self-select which they complete based off their abilities and means.
I was going to be a doctor since I was three, so I was pre-med in college. Everything I did, every class I took, pointed toward the 'holy M.D.' Friends were taking wine-tasting classes, studying human sexuality, or redefining their views of the world in poli-sci, and I was memorizing anatomy and crying over o-chem.
Our parents, loved ones, and friends are getting cancer. So we need to know how to care for them, support them, and understand what the hell is going on. I don't think it's that hard to reach them: you have to go where they are - online. You have to speak their language - humour, wit, and edge. And you have to be honest, authentic and bold.
One of the most beautiful experiences our family shared was feeling the love and bond that came to life when my mother was battling her ovarian cancer. In a way, it brought our family together and opened up relationships and a closeness that was not felt before her diagnosis.
At night, I don't do business meetings, because I think it sends the wrong message. I do dinner with friends, game night, or concerts.
I am always personalizing tees to fit my personality, cutting off rocker shirts, debunking the mold of what traditional 'work wear' means, and always wearing my cause.
We want to keep creating the biggest impact we can in the cancer space by focuses on prevention, early detection, and psychosocial support.
I'm pretty sure my mom is the only person on the planet who thinks that she got cancer so that I could find my calling in life, but as I started to build this company, all my years of useless education, random jobs, and weird interests merged into this serendipitous moment.
I start every morning off with a green juice, because I think it's really important to be alkalined, and then I work out. We teach people that you need to find that balance and that what you put into your body is directly affecting your health.
I think I'm generally more inspired when I'm away from technology. Whether that is on a beach somewhere or just in your room with your phones and screens shut off, I think that quietness is often very inspiring.
Nobody talks about cancer until they have to, and then, it's really all you can talk about.
The first step is really getting our generation to talk to our parents about cancer. Because our research has shown that parents are much more likely to get that diagnostic test or stay on top of their risk profile if it comes from a child.
More than 90% of cancers are curable at stage one - look for them, look for them, look for them.
We get so obsessed with our body, but when you have cancer, you forget your mind and your soul and your relationships are all affected. We will continue to build on and create more resources on topics like, 'How do you talk about cancer?'
How do you support someone with cancer? How do you ask for the help you need?
I wanted to create a movement and a safe space for people to come and find their 'cancer home.'
I never intended on starting a charity; I never intended on cancer, health, and wellness becoming my life.
I think that we get so distracted with our smartphones... It takes your body and your brain time to switch between tasks. If we can focus on what we're doing, we'll be more productive at that task.
'Washio' provides laundry and dry cleaning on demand. They pick it up, clean it, and return it within 24 hours - and often with a cookie. No more forgetting to pick up the dry-cleaning or wasting time in line.
'Postmates' will provide you with any food you can imagine - delivered. Frozen yogurt craving? Need coffee and no time to run? Last minute dinner guests and no food in the house? They take care of it all. Easy and awesome. I'm a fan.
