From Students to Teachers: Showcasing the AYA Cancer Experience at an International Cancer Research Forum
From April 17 to 22, 2026, the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) held its Annual Meeting, along with its Scientist-Survivor Program (AACR-SSP) in San Diego, California. As part of its longstanding partnership with AACR, the CIHR Institute of Cancer Research (ICR) co-sponsored another cohort of patient advocates from Canada to participate in the AACR-SSP and share their lived experience at this international cancer research forum.
This year's advocates—Callum Mullen and Dr. Tahsin Rahit—both have lived experience with Adolescent and Young Adult (AYA) cancer, and are using their experience to advance cancer research in their graduate and postgraduate studies. From students in the classroom to teachers on the global cancer research stage, Callum and Dr. Rahit are bridging the gap between lived experience and research by sharing their journeys with cancer with researchers, clinicians, knowledge users and other advocates.
Learn more about Callum and Dr. Rahit's experience at AACR-SSP (Note: only two of three 2026 patient advocates are featured):
Callum Mullen
"AACR-SSP reminded me that although cancer affects us each differently, our work is connected by a shared purpose. It was inspiring to be surrounded by people who have turned difficult experiences into action and hope. The program reinforced the importance of community, collaboration, and remembering the collective "why": working together to improve cancer care and outcomes for those who come after us."
In 2013, Callum was diagnosed with Hodgkin lymphoma while in high school. His experience as a young person navigating cancer care shaped an early interest in research, first as a study participant and later as a student and advocate.
Callum's advocacy began with community-based work supporting children and families affected by cancer. Over time, as he moved further into survivorship and continued his education, this work evolved toward strengthening partnerships between researchers and people with lived experience. His current focus is on supporting research that is responsive to patient priorities, grounded in meaningful engagement, and attentive to the communities most affected by cancer.
Callum is currently a PhD student in Epidemiology at McGill University, studying timeliness of cancer care and disease outcomes among Canadian children and adolescents. As a survivor-turned-researcher, he draws on both lived and learned experience to inform questions, priorities, and the direction of his work. He has contributed locally, nationally, and internationally as an advocate, including as a speaker and peer reviewer, and has worked with organizations such as the International Society of Paediatric Oncology (SIOP), ACCESS, and the Brain Canada Foundation. Across his research and advocacy, Callum aims to help bridge the gap between scientists and survivors to help translate lived experience into meaningful improvements in clinical practice and outcomes.
Impact of AACR-SSP
AACR-SSP was a deeply energizing experience that renewed Callum's sense of purpose in cancer research and advocacy. Working in cancer research every day can sometimes make the work feel routine, even when the questions remain deeply personal and important. Being surrounded by advocates, researchers, clinicians, and people with lived experience helped Callum reconnect with the broader purpose of this work and reminded him of the many ways research can be shaped by the communities it aims to serve.
His greatest takeaways came not only from the scientific sessions, but also from the community built through the program. AACR-SSP exposed him to advocacy models across different cancer types, patient populations, and research settings, offering new perspectives on how people with lived experience can contribute meaningfully to research design, priority-setting, grant reviews, and knowledge translation.
The program also helped connect emerging developments in oncology with broader advocacy priorities. Themes such as access, equity, and communication were apparent across presentations on disease biology, treatment approaches, and early detection. These discussions highlighted the importance of considering how scientific advances are understood, contextualized, and implemented within the communities most affected.
K.M. Tahsin Hassan Rahit
"Innovation only matters if patients can access it. I am alive today because of modern medicine, but not everyone gets that same chance. My advocacy is about closing that gap."
In 2021, after more than six months of misdiagnoses, Dr. Rahit was diagnosed with stage IV ROS1+ non-small cell lung cancer at the age of 27. At the time, he was a PhD student at the University of Calgary, working on artificial intelligence (AI) methods for the diagnosis of rare genetic disorders. Despite his cancer diagnosis, he finished his PhD on time, while publishing several peer-reviewed papers and earning multiple research awards. He is now a postdoctoral fellow at the Arthur Child Comprehensive Cancer Center in Calgary, where he is doing research on novel AI approaches to improve treatment outcome for lung cancer patients.
Stage IV ROS1+ non-small cell lung cancer was long regarded as highly fatal, but is now considered treatable thanks to progress in cancer research. As a result, Dr. Rahit holds a deep appreciation for cancer research and modern medicine, leading him to become an advocate in cancer research. The more familiar he became with the lung cancer patient community, it became clear to him that scientific progress does not reach every patient equally. Treatment cost, coverage gaps, and delays in care continue to keep millions of patients from beneficial therapies. Dr. Rahit brings his lived experience as well as his expertise as a researcher into spaces where treatment access, research priorities, and equity are discussed, including communities such as The ROS1ders, the World Conference on Lung Cancer, among others.
Impact of AACR-SSP
AACR-SSP is a great opportunity for Canadian cancer patient advocates, like Dr. Rahit, to bring their advocacy to the international stage and learn from other advocates across the globe. While he had experience with poster presentations as a researcher, his experience presenting as an advocate at AACR-SSP was wholly different. He received such an outstanding response, being able to speak with close to a dozen conference attendees, from researchers to pharma representatives to other advocates—some of whom intentionally sought out his poster.
The response was incredible and deeply inspiring. It taught him that people are willing to listen and respond if patients are willing to share their experiences.
Related reading:
- Oikotan — a lifestyle app developed by Dr. Rahit to help cancer patients to better manage their food and lifestyle.
The call for applications for patient advocates from Canada typically occurs on an annual basis. Subscribe to ICR's general mailing list and/or mailing list for opportunities for people with lived/living experience to stay informed on the launch.
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