Celebrating 11 Years Out of Diagnosis

Every year, in the month of April, I am reminded of my cancer diagnosis. Sometimes, I wish that the memory of that date, April 6th to be exact, would slip my mind. 

Unfortunately, I have found that forgetting that I had cancer will be a struggle. But, I am thankful that I am alive. I beat cancer. 

When I was a kid, I thought that a cancer diagnosis meant that you were never going to get better. I didn't think that it was possible. I sat in the hospital bed at CHOP and my parents explained to me what was wrong and I thought of all the things that I was going to miss out on in life because that's what the word cancer meant to me. 

Here I am, 11 years later, a college graduate and cancer free. With April just around the corner, I thought of no better way to celebrate such a milestone than to give back to the place that I spent so much time, CHOP. With this, I hope that the oncology floor can provide whatever they need to put a smile on the face of these children that are fighting this battle.

 It reminds me to be even more thankful for what I have and what I was blessed with- the opportunity to live.  

"I am invincible, as long as I'm alive."