A sarcoma survivor is giving back by supporting others diagnosed with cancer at young ages. “I was traveling a lot, not just in the United States, but abroad. I worked a lot in Africa, helping implement HIV surveys in different countries,” Greg Chang says. “So, my career trajectory was working in global health.” Like so many young cancer patients, Greg's plans for his career and life were thrown off course after receiving his shocking diagnosis in 2021 amid the global pandemic. “I was sitting at home with my family and girlfriend getting ready to apply to grad school for PhD programs in epidemiology when I started noticing a strange mass in my left deltoid,” he says. “I didn't think much of it at first, but then it started growing, so I had X rays. Then, they did biopsies and additional tests and found out it was Ewing's Sarcoma.” A resident of the Columbus area, Greg spoke with sarcoma experts at The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center – James Cancer Hospital and Solove Research Institute, who worked with him to create a personalized treatment plan. “Within a couple weeks, I started treatment, which included several rounds of chemotherapy, and then surgery,” he says. “The surgery was successful, and my body responded well to the chemo.” Click here to learn more about sarcoma, including risks, symptoms and treatment options at The Ohio State University. While his treatment was successful, the emotional and psychological tolls were tough. “It was a hard experience for me, especially in terms of feeling isolated,” he says. To help cope, Greg joined the NextGen James Ambassadors group, where he connected with other adolescent and young adult (AYA) cancer patients to provide and receive support and advocacy. “It was all about connecting with other AYA individuals, not just to serve as a psychosocial support system, but to be around other people that really connected with me on a level that no one else can really connect on.” Greg’s NextGen experience has been an inspiration, particularly the example of the group’s chair, Gabe Gemberling. “Gabe’s the most optimistic guy I've ever met in my life. It can be tough to be positive about the future when you've been diagnosed at a young age. So, it helped to see others choosing to view life more optimistically,” he says. “They have families, and cancer to them wasn't something that prevented them from living the life they wanted, but kind of enhanced how they see life.” Greg has since married his then girlfriend and now wife, Amy, who was by his side during his sarcoma treatment. “Sarcoma kind of shifted my priorities and how I viewed like my future and what should be valuable to me,” he says. “I always thought I’d settle down eventually, but that just kind of came quicker with the cancer diagnosis.” Greg also makes time to join his fellow NextGen members in supporting AYA cancer patients and survivors through events and initiatives like the Columbus Mac and Cheese Festival. “NextGen brings in speakers whose research the Mac and Cheese Festival has funded,” he says. “One of the speakers was talking about identifying preventative measures for cancer by looking at genes and potential triggers that could cause such a young population who usually shouldn't, statistically, have cancer this young. Prevention is something that I've always been interested in, and it can be hard to get funding, so it's really important to me that some of the funds go towards that.” Click here to get your tickets for the Columbus Mac and Cheese Festival, 10/4 at Easton Town Center.