Storytelling is an important tool at One Summit because it helps children understand they are not alone in their cancer journey or in the experience of facing difficult challenges and unimaginable hardships. Storytelling is also a critical component within the concept of posttraumatic growth (PTG), the theory that One Summit’s programs are built upon. For a person to benefit from PTG, sharing and acknowledging their story of trauma is critical. Our storytelling initiatives serve to reduce feelings of isolation and help build a supportive community for the children (and adults) who participate in our programs.
To reinforce learnings from our experiential learning programs and to build connection, we provide our community of like-minded warriors with the opportunity to share their own stories of resilience.
Another important part of our storytelling initiative includes sharing articles, publications, additional stories, and similar resources to help to inspire pediatric cancer patients, caregivers, Navy SEALs—and their families— to continue in their fight one hand and foothold at a time.
Stories from the Summit (SFTS) is a virtual, live speaker series that allows One Summit community members from our four markets and beyond to come together in one place to share in our storytelling initiative.
Each hour-long community enrichment program features a special guest speaker who shares their story in their own words, describing key life experiences, challenges, and accomplishments. This is followed by guided questions presented by One Summit staff and then we empower the audience of OS community members to ask the guest their own questions.
The program is designed to inspire, educate, and entertain through the blending of personal stories, practical insights, and application of resilience in our daily lives.
These are the words that 15,590 U.S. children under the age of 20 will hear each year, according to The National Cancer Institute. In the same year, 1,780 children will lose their battle with the disease. Among the survivors, many will face life-long side effects, including amputation, secondary cancers and severe psychological stress.
Cancer invokes feelings of fear, uncertainty and vulnerability, affecting an individual’s overall health and ability to cope with the disease. Battling cancer is a war fought by entire families. It impacts not only the patient, but their siblings, parents and friends. For children impacted by the disease, it is often the first time they have faced adversity. There is a lack of knowledge for how to overcome challenges and they can’t do it alone.
