We’re Turning 11 — And You’re Invited 🎉🌵

Eleven years ago, Cactus Cancer Society launched as a nonprofit with a simple but radical belief: survival is insufficient. Young adults facing cancer deserve more than survival. They deserve connection, creativity, and community.

For eleven years, we’ve supported young adults throughout the cancer experience. From diagnosis, through treatment, and into survivorship. Through recurrence or loss, through caregiving and co-survivorship, and through the complicated in-between. Since we launched eleven years ago, thousands of young adults have joined Cactus Cancer Society in art workshops, writing workshops, book clubs of all varieties, LEGO-building sessions, and brave conversations where anxiety lessened, isolation softened, and voices were validated, uplifted, and empowered.

This year, we’re celebrating 11 years of impact in the most “Cactus” way we know how: an all-day celebration of creativity, community, and you.

There are two ways to get involved: a community art auction and Succulent Studio day of creativity!

🖼 Art Auction

Bid on art created by the young adult cancer community. These one-of-a-kind pieces are an opportunity to support young adult cancer-connected artists and help us fund future programming for young adult cancer patients and survivors.

The auction launches on April 12th and culminates on April 18th at our birthday celebration event! To access the auction, head to the top of this page and select the "Auction" tab. Happy bidding!

🎉 Succulent Studio: A Creative Birthday Celebration

Join us for a 5-hour virtual, creative, joy-filled celebration featuring:

🎨 Four live, hour-long art tutorials
🌟 The culmination of our Young Adult Advocate of the Year competition
🖼 The closing moments of our online auction — with final bids and celebrations
💬 Community connection and shared purpose
🌵 A joyful fundraiser to ensure young adults facing cancer don’t navigate it alone

Whether you’re looking to deepen your own creative practice, wanting to learn new art skills, supporting someone impacted by cancer, passionate about the young adult cancer community, or want to celebrate 11th years of Cactus Cancer Society, this event is for you!

✨ What to Expect

Over the course of the day, you’ll be able to drop in for four distinct art tutorials led by inspiring creatives. These are accessible, welcoming sessions designed for all skill levels, whether you haven’t picked up a paintbrush since elementary school or you’re ready to stretch your artistic edge.

And at the heart of the celebration, we’ll honor this year’s Young Adult Advocate of the Year — someone who embodies leadership, courage, and dedication within the young adult cancer community.

This event is more than a birthday party. Your ticket ensures that when a young adult joins from an infusion chair, from post-surgery recovery, or from a moment of deep uncertainty, they find a place where they are safe, less alone, and creatively empowered. It’s a reminder of what’s possible when creativity becomes a coping tool, when connection becomes medicine, and when community shows up. 🌵 Come celebrate 11 years of resilience with us.

🎨 What You'll Create

During Succulent Studio, you’ll learn and create alongside our team through four guided activities:

Origami Lotus Flowers
Fold delicate paper blooms just in time for spring. In this session, you’ll learn step-by-step techniques to create intricate origami flowers that you can display, gift, or keep as a reminder of the day.
Led by Aerial Donovan, CPO & Co-Founder

Creative Constraints Lab
Discover how limits can actually unlock creativity. Through playful art drills and creative prompts, you’ll learn techniques artists use to move through creative blocks and widen your creative lens while creating a bold, graphic art piece.
Led by Lauren Morales, LCSW, Senior Program Coordinator

Watercolor Landscape
Using watercolor techniques, you’ll create a dreamy mountainous landscape complete with a soft sky and layered scenery. This session will guide you through simple steps that make watercolor feel approachable and relaxing.
Led by Mallory Casperson, CEO & Co-Founder

Exotic Monster Plants
Let your imagination run wild as you design quirky, slightly spooky plant monsters using markers. Think bold shapes, strange leaves, and playful personalities.
Led by Aerial Donovan, CPO & Co-Founder

No art experience is needed. Just bring your curiosity and a willingness to play.

11th Birthday Celebration!

By Cactus Cancer Society

11th Birthday Celebration!