Edit in JSFiddle

$( function() {
  $('#cancel-link').click(submitCancel);
});

function submitCancel(e) {  
    return $.post('/echo/json/', {json:JSON.stringify({'status':"success"})})
    .done(function(data) { $('#cancel-status').text('cancel status: ' + data.message); })
    .fail(function(data) { $('#cancel-status').text('cancel failed'); });
};

<p>
  <a href='#' id='cancel-link'>Cancel application</a>
</p>
<p>
  <span id='cancel-status'></span>
</p>