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Catching the Light

A cancer researcher's journey through brain cancer

My memoir, coming soon. I was a cancer genomics researcher when I was diagnosed with brain cancer at 29. More than twenty years later, I am still here.

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Cover of Catching the Light: A cancer researcher's journey through brain cancer, by Yaron Sidney Butterfield

I studied cancer for a living. Then I had to survive it.

In April 2003, I stayed in the lab past 4 am to help assemble the SARS coronavirus genome, a result that put Vancouver's Genome Sciences Centre on the world map. Ten months later, on February 23, 2004, I collapsed with a seizure. The diagnosis was glioblastoma, a brain cancer with an average survival of 13 to 15 months.

Catching the Light is my account of what came next, as someone who understood the science of my own cancer. I hope it gives people facing this diagnosis, and the people beside them, some hope.

This is not just my story. It's a story of hope for anyone who has ever faced their own darkness.

From the back cover

Hear when the memoir is available.

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Yaron speaking at a podium at the CNO 2025 Canadian neuro-oncology meeting Yaron giving a lecture on glioma survival at the UBC Faculty of Medicine

A cancer researcher. A brain cancer survivor. A speaker.

Yaron speaks about his experience as both a long-term brain cancer survivor and a cancer genomics researcher, with wisdom and humour, and he is always open to questions. He is available for keynotes, workshops and fundraising events, in person or online.

Where he has spoken and presented

  • CNO 2025Canadian neuro-oncology meeting
  • BC Cancer Summit 2024Research poster on patient experiences after a brain cancer diagnosis
  • UBC Faculty of MedicineLecture to the oncology class, fall 2022
  • Kenya, onlineLecture to a brain cancer group, 2020
  • OurBrainBankTalk, 2020
  • Chabad East VanHealing and Happiness: Dreams, Art and Cancer
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My story, so far.

Outside the lab I hike, bike, practise yoga and meditation, and paint in acrylics: portraits, landscapes and surreal scenes. I am also a father to an amazing daughter, who brings more joy to my life than I could have imagined.

  1. 2000

    I start as a bioinformatics researcher at Canada's Michael Smith Genome Sciences Centre in Vancouver.

  2. 2003

    I play a key role in assembling the SARS coronavirus genome, and I am alone in the lab at 4 am when the full sequence appears.

  3. 2004

    I collapse with a seizure on February 23 and am diagnosed with glioblastoma. The tumour is too deep for surgery, so treatment is radiation and chemotherapy.

  4. 2005

    I run a full marathon in Iceland. Late that year, the cancer comes back.

  5. 2006

    I take the original chemotherapy again, and it works. I have been clear of the cancer since September 2006.

  6. 2009

    With another glioblastoma survivor, I form the Brainiacs and ride the first Ride to Conquer Cancer, about 280 km over two days.

  7. 2016

    I graduate from SFU's Writer's Studio with a certificate in creative writing.

  8. Today

    I am on leave from BC Cancer's Genome Sciences Centre, studying how AI can help cancer research, and finishing the memoir.

Yaron in a lab coat beside a DNA sequencer at the Genome Sciences Centre

Twenty years in cancer genomics.

At BC Cancer's Genome Sciences Centre, Yaron writes and uses software to analyze DNA sequence data from cancer patients, and has led bioinformatics teams of up to ten people. He is first author on 2 scientific papers and co-author on 56 more, 5 of them on brain cancer.

Beyond the lab, he started the first art therapy program for brain cancer patients at BC Cancer, co-chaired its Patient and Family Advisory Committee, and coordinated Brain Tumour Foundation of Canada's Spring Sprint for seven years.

Yaron Butterfield is a beloved member of our brain tumour community. His courage, resilience, creativity and positive attitude inspire brain tumour patients, their families and health care professionals to live our lives as well as possible, despite the challenges we all must face.
Rosemary Cashman, Nurse Practitioner, BC Cancer
He speaks with humour and wisdom, and his contributions to his collaborators are brave and always positive.
Robert Hawke, author and speaker

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Black and white portrait of Yaron Butterfield