I thought it was going to be just a regular day at school, but I came home with a lump in my throat. Our guidance counselor came in to my class to tell us that a fellow sixth grader was very sick; he had been diagnosed with cancer. Our friend would be absent from school for the remainder of the year. I hoped he was in good care, as I was, so he would become a cancer survivor too.
At twenty three months old, I was diagnosed with stage IV neuroblastoma, a highly aggressive cancer of the nervous system with a thirty percent survival rate. My treatment that lasted fifteen months, done exclusively at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, consisted of surgery, high dose chemotherapy, radiation and a bone marrow transplant. While this protocol was experimental, it was my best chance to survive.
Cancer was a part of my everyday vocabulary growing up. My life was filled with doctors’ appointments, with new ones being added frequently. I had to deal with the everyday side effects of the toxic treatment I had received, such as hearing loss, short stature, heart muscle damage and numerous medications, including daily growth hormone shots that lasted for more than seven years.
When we found out that our classmate had been diagnosed with leukemia, I witnessed hysteria break out in my school. Students and teachers alike were crying and distraught. I didn’t understand why everyone was so upset. I later realized that the casual dinner conversations about cancer and its effects on my family were not the norm, but they were my norm. I was confused by the type of reactions from my classmates and teachers in response to this situation.
It was at this point in my life when I realized that “my normal” was anything but. For the first time, I struggled emotionally with my diagnosis and health issues. I needed to do something proactive so that I could feel as if I were helping my classmate. That summer I started a read-a-thon to raise money for a cure. This was the first of many fundraisers I have held since my friend’s diagnosis. I feel a huge sense of accomplishment in knowing that I am helping raise money towards cancer research.
Seeing another child struggle though cancer motivated me to step up and make a difference for other children battling cancer. My friend having cancer changed my life as much as my own diagnosis. To this day, my classmate does not know how much he has inspired me. He has helped me to turn a very negative situation into a positive one that is benefiting others. The charity work and fundraising that I have done over the years has had a significant impact in my life. It has sparked my desire to help others. As a future educator, one of my most important goals will be to ignite that passion in my students. I also plan to continue with my fundraising efforts until a cure is found.