The month of June holds a special place in my heart. On June 17, 2013, I underwent a thyroidectomy for thyroid cancer at the age of 26. While that day marked the end of my time as a thyroid cancer patient, it was the beginning of my journey as a cancer survivor and advocate. Since June is also National Cancer Survivors Month, I couldn’t think of a better time to announce a collaboration I’ve been working on with Megan of Elevated Equestrian that will benefit the cancer community I’ve been a part of for the past decade.
I first “met” Megan through Instagram. She’s a fellow equestrian and has an apparel line called Elevated Equestrian. As someone returning to the sport as an adult rider, I was drawn to her account because of the supportive community she has fostered. Then I read her blog and checked out the items she sells through her small business (this hat is one of hers), and eventually, I decided to message her to chat further. I mentioned to her that I had always wanted to collaborate on an apparel line to benefit cancer patients and survivors…and she immediately got to work on it!
Meet Buck Cancer—a limited collection of some of our favorite items. When you shop the line and purchase a custom “Buck Cancer” design, your dollars will benefit the cancer community. For the month of June, we will be donating 20 percent of all sales to CancerCare, a national nonprofit organization that provides free, professional support services to anyone affected by cancer.
According to the National Cancer Survivors Day Foundation, more than 18.1 million people are living with and beyond cancer in the U.S. today, and nearly 44 million people have been diagnosed with cancer within the past five years worldwide. For many people impacted by cancer, the survivorship journey can bring other challenges. In my own life, I’ve faced scanxiety, which is the very real fear a patient or survivor has when they have to go for tests or scans. While I’m grateful for my survivor status, I know that it can change in an instant. That’s why having organizations that support patients and survivors with services and resources that they need as they continue on their journeys is so important to me.
Being diagnosed with cancer can feel scary and isolating. When I heard the words, “You have cancer,” from my endocrinologist back in April 2013, I was shocked. I had no signs or symptoms that anything was wrong with me, and I immediately looked for resources and a community for support. To this day, I credit my thorough gynecologist who performed a neck check during my routine annual exam with my thyroid cancer being detected and treated early, and I’m grateful to all of the people (many whom I’d never met in person) for the support they’ve given me over the years.
Our goal with this collaboration, is not only to raise money and give back, but also to stand with patients and survivors at every stage of their journey. As we continue with the collection, we will be rotating organizations to donate to, so if you have one in mind that’s doing great work, please let us know.
Which item from the collection is your favorite? Let us know in the comments, and share your purchases on social media with the hashtag #BuckCancer (and tag @livinginsteil and @elevated_equestrian_ so we can repost you).
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