My Story

I was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s Lymphoma in the beginning of September in 2007. My first reaction was one of denial. I made it a joke. I couldn’t digest the thought of the disease in the first place and now it was mine. Acceptance was extremely slow on my part. How could I make peace with the fact that I had a disease that could kill me? It was scary to think that if I hadn’t found this mass in my chest that I would have died in a year or two. I could only bring myself to tell family of my condition in the beginning because I was still in denial about having cancer.

I have one of the most loving families in the world and their support has been tremendous, but finding out about this disease has been just as hard if not harder for them. My friends have been great as well. Some have shaved their heads in support, and I am constantly reminded how special I must be to them because of their constant emails and phone calls. It has been unbelievable to feel so loved. I finally told my fellow classmates and professors, and the surge of support has been uplifting. The school bought hand sanitizers and tissue paper to help minimize germs, and each faculty member has reached out in some way or other. My classmates seem to have bonded around my situation; some offered to be my germ bodyguard. Others have given me support by telling me of their personal cancer experiences with family or friends, bringing me information to read and watch.

But I’m the one with cancer, and no one really understands what is going on in my head. They can’t feel the emotions that I go through on a constant basis. They do not feel the chemo drugs as they go into their bodies. They do not have to go to the hospital 3 times every two weeks, sometimes more often if they need more tests. They don’t have to skip a beer or a smoke-filled bar because they’re wiped out from chemo.

I feel like I am dealing very well, but there are many times when I lose confidence in myself. My soul is strong and for that I am thankful. But I wish for someone who has gone through something similar to what I am going through to have a good support system behind him or her. There are support groups at the clinic but most of the cancer patients are over fifty. I have searched the Internet for places that offer support groups for people my age, but there are very few and most of them are not user-friendly. I have looked for financial support and there are many places that do give financial aid to cancer patients. Where can a young person go who are, like me, just starting out in life?

What I would like is a way to communicate with someone who has dealt with or is dealing with a situation similar to my own. I want to ask what it is or was like for them, how they dealt with their thoughts, their heart. I want to be able to share and help someone else in giving advice or support. I know that my strongest friends in life are ones that I share experiences with. Why can’t that be carried over to fellow college-aged cancer patients? Also, there will be a place for friends and families to go to better understand some of the emotional rollercoaster that a patient and their families go through.

I want easy access to some sort of financial aid so that the burden of my medications and medical bills does not have to all fall on the shoulders of my parents or myself. I am fortunate to have a family that can help with paying my bills, but they have to go beyond their means. I cannot even fathom what some people have to go through.

So what I hope to achieve is a place that young adult cancer patients can find support from others their age. Also, there needs to be a place where their families and friends can go to better understand some of the emotions that they are dealing with. I also want to develop resources where these individuals can find financial aid easily so that they can ease the burden of medical bills. Emotional support, friends in the same situation, and resources for people my age in single, simple place – that’s what I think is needed. Setting up a foundation with these goals in mind can begin with Ted and Friends.