Stupid Cancer

Convention coming to Austin makes cancer suck less for young people

Speakers bring the smarts, but the dance party, karaoke, and snack breaks are the highlights.

It’s not often that the word “cancer” is associated with something as exciting or fun as a comic con, but this August, New York-based organization Stupid Cancer is changing all of that for Texans.

CancerCon Live 2024 will take over the Hyatt Regency Austin from August 15-18. This four-day event was created specifically for adolescents and young adults (or AYAs) between the ages of 15 and 39 who are affected by cancer. This means survivors, patients, caregivers, and healthcare professionals, all coming together with the common goal of “making cancer suck less.”

The event will include a range of speakers, workshops, and networking opportunities. More specifically, there will be breakout sessions on topics like “How Psychiatry Can Help You Cope,” “Navigating Medical Billing and Health Insurance,” “Cancer in the Bedroom: Sex & Intimacy,” and more than twenty others.

Besides the talks, there are other classic convention elements. There will be exhibitor booths and a store with Stupid Cancer merch. An open lounge space will be available throughout the event; Two days of breakfast and lunch will be included. And at night, expect to see a talent show, karaoke, an open mic night, and, of course, a dance party.

Stupid Cancer was founded in 2012 by Matthew Zachary, who had been a pediatric cancer patient himself. After going through treatment in the 90s, Zachary realized there was a lack of support for adolescents and young adults dealing with cancer. In 2004, he founded Steps for Living, which became I’m Too Young for This! Cancer Foundation, and then eventually, Stupid Cancer in 2012.

CancerCon has taken place in places like Denver Atlanta, Minneapolis, and now for the first time, Austin. According to the website, it is “the gathering for the adolescent and young adult cancer community.”

As previous participant Christina said in a testimonial, “I came by myself and was immediately embraced by this community. It’s a safe space that’s completely free of judgment, made up of other people who get it. I’ve felt more myself in the past few days than I have since my diagnosis.”

According to the site, about 60 percent of CancerCon attendees are first-timers like Christina, and it's not weird to show up alone. It’s designed to be an event that connects participants with critical resources — as well as each other.

Tickets ($200) are available now at stupidcancer.org. If you want to help support the event, organizers are also looking for exhibitors and sponsors. A limited number of need-based scholarships are available.

Self-driving Roller Coaster

More self-driving cars expected to roll out in Austin for 2025

Photo courtesy of Waymo via KVUE

Various brands offering self-driving cars are on-and-off in Austin.

Expect to see more self-driving rideshare vehicles, also known as robotaxis, on Austin roads next year.

Robotaxi company Waymo, which you may have already seen on Austin's roads, is partnering with Uber. At some point next year, customers will be able to use the Uber app to call a self-driving ride.

Austin-based company Avride is in the testing phase and plans to roll out its robotaxis next year.

Currently, Volkswagen ADMT and Amazon's Zoox are in the testing phase in Austin, while Hyundai's Motional is in the mapping phase.

Last year, robotaxi company Cruise paused operations in Austin after the California Department of Motor Vehicles revoked the company's permits to operate driverless vehicles in the state. And last week, General Motors said it would no longer fund the company because of the time and resources needed.

This way of getting around has come with its safety concerns and issues. The city is tracking those concerns. According to the Transportation Department, the problems span from blocking the roads and parking in front of people's homes for weeks with lights beaming through their windows, to actual wrecks.

Since July 2023, robotaxis have been involved in 75 incidents. Only 21 of those incidents happened in 2024. It's important to note that Cruise has not been operating in Austin this year.

Since July 2023, driverless rideshare vehicles have been involved in 22 near collisions, eight collisions and seven instances where driverless taxis ignored directions from the Austin Police Department (APD).

According to the data, at least four of those Austin police incidents happened in recent months. The issues varied from driving through police checkpoints, to malfunctioning and getting stuck at an APD road closure near pedestrians, causing safety concerns.

A Waymo spokesperson said their vehicles have gesture recognition capabilities, which they've been training APD officers on using.

As the report shows, sometimes it does not work and Waymo said it is working to improve that. The spokesperson said that as of just last week, Waymo's First Responder Program has been independently verified by TÜV SÜD, making Waymo the first autonomous vehicle (AV) company to receive third-party validation for our emergency response protocols. They also said the data to date indicates the Waymo Driver is already reducing traffic injuries and fatalities in the places where the company currently operates.

Read the full story and watch the video at KVUE.com.

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