“It’s Cancer.”
Just 36 hours prior to hearing those words, I learned that my little brother would be missing school to see the doctor for a sore throat. I then pretended to have a sore throat, too. I was nine years old when my thyroid cancer was discovered, and it was only because I had faked an illness to miss a day of the fourth grade.
The word “cancer” had no meaning to me at age nine, but I soon learned that it would change my life forever. An MRI showed that the cancer had already moved to my lungs, so my treatment, in addition to a six-hour surgery to remove my thyroid gland, included radioactive iodine to destroy any remaining thyroid cells. Anytime I am asked to share something unique about myself, I have an uncommon response: I have been radioactive.
My surgery left me with a twelve-inch scar from the middle of my throat to the back of my ear. When I returned to school, I was met with many insensitive questions and comments from classmates who did not understand or know any better: “You look like Frankenstein.” “Did someone cut your head off and sew it back on?” “Your neck makes me lose my appetite.” “Are you going to die?” I had to learn to love the messengers but throw the messages away, and it was not always easy. Today when people ask about my scar, I just tell them I am a cancer survivor. This response has opened the door to some wonderful conversations about God’s presence in my life and the way He is healing me.
The Bible tells us in Romans 8:28 that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God. I do not believe that my health challenges are coincidental; I believe they are blessings in disguise that God has used to make my faith stronger. So much good has come from my cancer diagnosis: support from family and friends, renewed gratitude for life and health and friendships, compassion for others who are battling illnesses, peace that is felth when others are praying for me, and the discovery that I am a lot tougher than I thought I was.
Since being diagnosed in 2011, I have participated in cancer walks and fundraisers, spoken publicly about my journey and God’s healing powers, and been named a True Hero Ambassador to offer support to pediatric patients. Even my Girl Scout Gold Award project was inspired by my cancer and called “J.A.D.E: Just A Dose of Encouragement”. I sewed brightly colored pillowcases and filled them with activities and personal care items to help hospitalized teenagers pass the time and feel supported and loved.
Cancer may have left me with a scar from neck to ear, but I carry it as a badge of honor. It is a symbol of survival and strength. It also serves as my personal reminder of a loving God Who has been by my side through it all and the faith, hope and love of Jesus Christ which will sustain me forever.
My prayer is that God will soon lead us to a cure for all forms of cancer, and I have chosen to pursue a nursing degree so I can help contribute to that cure. I also want to pay forward the kindnesses that other have shown to me…maybe even to another nine-year-old girl who is faking a sore throat.
~~Jade Finley