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Love with ALL
Reading Time: 4 minutesJohn and I met on a dating app in February of 2017. We “officially” started dating on March 19th, 2017. Not even three weeks later, I was diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL). My whole
Road to a Destination Unknown
Reading Time: 3 minutesI am finally back in treatment, and this time, it’s something entirely new… so new that the FDA hasn’t even approved it. Three weeks ago, I started an oral chemo for my soft-tissue sarcoma via
Stupid Cancer Story from the Quilici Sisters
Reading Time: 15 minutesLightly edited from the Kaiser Permanente AYA Cancer Summit 2021. This is a transcript of twin sisters Sara & Ali’s cancer journey as a patient & caregiver duo. Sara My name is Sara and this

Lolo
Reading Time: 2 minutesLolo was a happy and active 10-year-old when she was diagnosed with pediatric acute myelocytic leukemia (AML) in December 2012. She spent the next six months at Children’s Hospital in Omaha, Nebraska, isolated from her
Kicking Cancer’s Butt
Reading Time: 2 minutesMy life changed forever after hearing the words “I’m so sorry, you have cancer.” My life flipped upside down on August 28, 2019. I was hesitant to post this news out in public, but I
Once The Dust Settles… Is It Ever Really Over?
Reading Time: 3 minutesWhile I was in treatment, my therapist told me that recovery would be more difficult than treatment. I honestly laughed in response, and felt a bit offended – as if she had any idea that
Stupid Cancer Story from Mariah
Reading Time: 4 minutesJust over a year ago I had my first brain surgery. A debilitating, seven-day migraine led me to a CT scan in the emergency room, where it was discovered that I had a large mass
Grieving After Your Cancer Diagnosis
Reading Time: 2 minutesWell, it’s September 1st, which means it’s now Thyroid Cancer Awareness Month. It is also my 8th month of having cancer. There are a lot of thoughts that come into my head when I think
The Confusing Promised Land of Leukemia Maintenance
Reading Time: 3 minutesI remember it like it was yesterday. I was lying in my childhood bed watching Chopped on Food Network—any competition show with a simple story arc was all that could keep my attention in those

Hodgkin Lymphoma and Pandemic Conditions
Reading Time: 2 minutesOn New Year’s Eve 2021, after camping and hiking for several days with my partner, I was admitted to the hospital. After running different tests such as a chest x-ray and CT scan, the doctors
Raven’s Fight Against ALL
Reading Time: 4 minutesMy name is Raven Curry and I am 21 years old. One thing that is not apparent but makes me stand out from others is that I am a childhood cancer survivor. At the age
My Research on Fear of Cancer Recurrence in Young Adult Cancer Survivors
Reading Time: 3 minutesMy interest in cancer survivorship stems from academic and personal experiences. My first step in this direction began in my undergraduate coursework: I took a biology of cancer course and learned about the pathogenesis of
ACC Messed with the Wrong Person
Reading Time: 2 minutesI was a student teaching as a second-semester senior at Mercyhurst University when everything changed. I had a meeting and dinner with a handful of friends, everyone was socially distanced with masks. But unfortunately one
When Cancer Knocks on your Door
Reading Time: 3 minutesThe good ole college days! For me, they were 15-16 years ago. Just like the average college student, I was living a carefree life, hanging out with friends, trying to make it to class on
Stupid cancer, you can’t ruin my life without a fight!
Reading Time: 2 minutesI remember looking at my tonsil in the mirror thinking, “Huh, looks a little big…” I let my tonsil continue to increase in size over the course of the next month. It was the holiday
Where Are the Superpowers?
Reading Time: 4 minutesIt all started in January of 2020 when I decided I had to go into Urgent Care to get my groin pain checked out. I must’ve torn a muscle or something like that….again. But, what
Racing for a Cure
Reading Time: 3 minutesIn the middle of 2019, I randomly decided to train for a half marathon. I registered for one on the spot, and after a few months of training, I completed my first half marathon…finishing much
Story Of My Life
Reading Time: 8 minutesWhen I was three years old, I was diagnosed with stage four alveolar rhabdomyosarcoma. I remember sitting in that hospital bed — the second memory of my life. I remember the smell of the room.

Open Mic: Bobby
Reading Time: < 1 minute VIDEO: Bobby tells his story at our “For The Guys” Storytelling Open Mic. In collaboration with Cancer Dudes.

Open Mic: Chris
Reading Time: < 1 minute VIDEO: Chris tells his story at our “For The Guys” Storytelling Open Mic. In collaboration with Cancer Dudes.

Open Mic: Mike
Reading Time: < 1 minute VIDEO: Mike tells his story at our “For The Guys” Storytelling Open Mic. In collaboration with Cancer Dudes. Thank you to Gilead Sciences for sponsoring this story.

Open Mic: Joshua
Reading Time: < 1 minute VIDEO: Joshua tells his story at our “For The Guys” Storytelling Open Mic. In collaboration with Cancer Dudes.

Open Mic: Charlie
Reading Time: < 1 minute VIDEO: Charlie tells his story at our “For The Guys” Storytelling Open Mic. In collaboration with Cancer Dudes.

Open Mic: Jonny
Reading Time: < 1 minute VIDEO: Jonny tells his story at our “For The Guys” Storytelling Open Mic. In collaboration with Cancer Dudes.

Open Mic: Jacob
Reading Time: < 1 minute VIDEO: Jacob tells his story at our “For The Guys” Storytelling Open Mic. In collaboration with Cancer Dudes.
