Welcome to a space where hope, compassion, and community converge…
LifeList is a wish-granting program that offers hope and support to young adults who are currently receiving treatment for a life-threatening cancer diagnosis. This program provides positive experiences to focus on during treatment and an opportunity to connect with a community of young adult patients, survivors, and advocates who have experienced similar journeys.
If you are a young adult, ages 18-39, currently in treatment for cancer, you may qualify for the LifeList program.
LifeList applications for Q2 of 2024 are now closed. Our next application cycle will open on June 20th at 10 am MST. To receive information about the LifeList program and updates about the next application cycle, please complete the interest form.
The LifeList program serves cancer patients who are between the ages of 18-39, currently receiving active treatment, and meet one of the following criteria:
The LifeList program is open to new applications on a quarterly basis. The dates for 2024 are below. Any applications received during the listed time frames will be included in a random selection. On the close of application day, all applicants will receive an email letting them know if they have been selected to move forward in the process or not. All application cycles will open and close at 10 am MT.
Our LifeList participant wishes vary from travel to technology to experiences to home goods and much more. The maximum amount of spend for each LifeList is $1,500 with an average value of $2000. We have some incredible corporate partners who periodically donate to help us with wishes and may contribute to the overall value of a LifeList wish. Due to the unique nature of this program, the individuality of wishes and the unpredictable variance of donations, the total value may be greater and/or the total spend may be less for each participant.
LifeList program participants are an active part of the program for a total of 6 months from the date of acceptance. All LifeList wishes must be completed or ordered within those 6 months. Please be aware of your health status and the reality of being able to fulfill your requests within that time frame.
Dear Jack Foundation is unable to accept wish requests for VISA/AMEX/Amazon gift cards, cash, or financial assistance (rent, mortgage, home repairs, car payments, student loan payments, medical expense reimbursement, fertility treatments, credit card payments, etc).
While Dear Jack strives to make wishes come true, we reserve the right to deny a wish or request modifications. If Dear Jack has concerns about your wishes, we will communicate appropriately with you and work together to create the best experience for you.
"Sometimes life has its curveballs, but you can live a meaningful life where you can accomplish all your dreams despite your diagnosis"
"It’s really hard to watch all my friends around having kids and getting married when I’m not sure if I will ever be able to. "
"It's a unique challenge to grapple with such a serious illness at a stage in life when you're supposed to be full of dreams and possibilities, but I'm determined to find strength in this adversity and continue moving forward with hope"
"Going through treatment while everyone around you lives their normal lives sucks. It’s hard."
"I balance hope and optimism on one hand and the reality of the situation (including very grim statistics) on the other"
"A luxury a lot of young adults take for granted is being able to deprioritize their health without major consequences. I really miss being able to just know and plan things out"
"Having a young child, you don't want to scare them and you know you have to stay strong for them"
"I feel like I have barely gotten any time to just live a normal life. I have spent so much time being sick and in hospitals and not getting to enjoy life with my family "
"When I was in the hospital, I would watch videos of places around the world that I would want to visit and experience. I knew that one way or another I was going to get to those places"
"I am looking forward to being a part of a cohort of other strong and resilient young adults who are facing similar situations. We all have the same struggles and finding Dear Jack made me feel less alone in this fight with cancer."
"Cancer is a constant reminder that you can’t control anything in life other than your attitude and how you handle what is thrown at you"
"I'm at the age when many friends and coworkers are having children, and while I'm happy for them, I'm also envious that I'm not able to have children at this time"
"I don't know what life has in store for me but as of now I try to live each day as if it were my last."
"Because I'm not married and don't have my own kids, sometimes I feel 'behind' when I compare myself to my peers."
"I needed to stop asking myself, 'why me?' and instead begin asking 'how is this making me a better human being?' and 'what lessons are being taught here?'"
"I’m looking forward to having something to look forward to that is not cancer related"
"It’s okay to grieve the person you were before diagnosis because you’ll never be that person again. And it’s okay to learn to love the person you’re becoming. Grief and love can coincide with each other."
"I’m looking forward to being able to recover and continue on doing what I love to do"
"It is hard to manage working full time and being a parent through surgery, recovery, and chemo"
"The burden of strained or lost connections during an already terrifying health crisis results in deep loneliness."
"I feel as if I am watching others in my age group live out their dreams and experiences and I have to put my dreams and goals on hold to prioritize my health."
"Life just moves on without you and it's really hard to have to watch all your friends and coworkers get to keep working and doing what they love when you have to stop doing that to try to fight for your life."
"One of the most difficult aspects of this has been learning how to navigate the healthcare system and advocate for myself as a patient."
"Being told I'm incurable and researching statistics made a huge, negative impact on my mental health."
"The isolation is so hard. The best way I can describe it is the feeling of wanting to be saved while adrift in a vast and unyielding ocean."
"It has been so hard to watch all my friends and the people around me kind of move on without me."
"For all the times I was very weak and unable to cook or clean for myself my mom ensured I was well taken care of"
"I’ve been hurt by so many people through all of this, that being a part of this program brought me to tears. I’m so thankful for good people"
"All I want is to do something normal and receive some happiness. I am looking forward to creating a happy memory."
"My biggest fear during this whole ordeal has been the thought that I might my daughter fatherless."
"I had a taste of being cancer free and life being “normal” again. I’m having a hard time coping with going back to all the doctor visits and restrictions. It’s mentally draining."
"I know it does not seem like a big deal to many but I personally love being around my kids because you never know how much time you have left to make those memories."
"Because I have a childhood cancer but I'm 18, there is nobody and nothing for me to relate to and I feel alone."
"My husband and I were looking forward to starting a family prior to my diagnosis. It has been tough not knowing when/how/if we will be able to have children."
"You've got this constant fear about the future and it's like always living with a dark cloud over your head"
"I’m very independent by nature and I like being able to do things on my own, so asking for help for the more mundane things is pretty embarrassing and difficult for me to do."
"It's also very hard to see people my age traveling and enjoying their life as my days are spent at John Stoddard Cancer Center "