Many might know her as Scooter Braun‘s (Justin Bieber’s manager) wife, but Yael Cohen Braun is much more than the wife of. Yael was born in 1986 in Canada and founded F*ck Cancer, a leading cancer charity that aims to educate people on early detection of cancer. Yael’s story teaches us that our hardships can be used as inspiration to make a change.
Yael’s inspiring story
In 2009 – after her mother was diagnosed with breast cancer – Yael started a movement and charity called F Cancer. Yael wanted to change the way cancer is discussed in society and educate people on early detection, since early detection is what saved her mother and what is the key to saving other cancer patients. In Yael’s 2012 Forbes interview is written that more than 90% of cancers are curable if caught in stage one! But there was not much awareness around early detection in 2009 and that’s what Yael wanted to change.
When first established, the F Cancer site helped young adults to have the “cancer talk” with their parents and loved ones by sending them a script. This script saved lives! With help from the script, a concerned boy was able to convince his dad to go to the doctor, where they found out his dad had lung cancer. The next day his dad went into emergency surgery.
A year after Yael founded F Cancer, Julie Greenbaum – a fellow Canadian – created F*ck Cancer to honor her mother who lost her life to ovarian cancer. Having a joint mission, the two entities merged into one in 2015, and that’s how the non-profit F*ck Cancer came into being.
Making the world a better place
Now, the non-profit is still operating on the same ideals and focuses mainly on early detection, prevention and providing support to those affected by cancer. Since 2009, the two organizations have raised more than $2 million towards cancer research and digital tools. The charity has worked in collaboration with many celebrities, such as Martin Garrix, who held concerts benefiting the cause.
By making it easier to talk about cancer, Yael has challenged the status quo and is working towards a cancer-free world. If there is one thing I learned from her story, it is that we should never give up. Whatever negative happens to us, we can use those experiences for something positive. Go Yael and let’s F*ck Cancer! If you want to support the cause, go here.
