Help Her Pay It Forward! Help others survive cancer!
I met this amazing woman a couple of years ago. I had only heard the legend of her and then heard her story. As I was putting together this blog to support her, I was moved to tears to think of how tough it was but even better, how splendid she has survived and thrived afterwards.
Her mission to Give back to those who are still living with cancer is tremendous. Please listen to this interview and support Lauren by clicking http://tiny.cc/4zrntw
Read her Story Below: Visit http://www.seanolivares.com for more stories of PIF
Cancer. It can be such a dirty word. Some people hear cancer and automatically think that it is a death sentence, that their life is over.
I was diagnosed with Stage 4 T-Cell Precursor Acute Lymphoblastic Lymphoma and Leukemia three weeks before my 21st birthday. I was at the point in my life where all I was focused on was my friends, trying to figure out what classes I wanted to take in college, and waiting tables. I had just moved into my first apartment with one of my best friends. Everything changed the second I felt that swollen lymph node. Within two months of my first lymph node popping up, I was learning all kinds of words I’d never thought I’d need to know…chemotherapy, vincristine, neupogen, neutropenic, lumbar punctures, bone marrow aspirations…the list is endless. Instead of worrying about whose house we were going to hang out at that night or what grade I had made on that exam, I was forced to face my cancer reality. Would I lose my hair? Would I lose my friends? Would I be the same person that I was? Would I survive?
I did lose my hair. I quickly found out who my real friends were. In the past five years since my diagnosis, I have endured more things than I ever imagined I would. I have dealt with three years of chemotherapy, countless emergency room visits, several surgeries, and unimaginable pain. I have dealt with the emotional roller coaster of hearing someone tell you that you might not survive. I reached my goal of beating this crazy disease, and now I deal with the aftermath of cancer. I struggle with constant pain in my lower back and knees. I can’t take certain medications that would greatly benefit me because I had blood clots. I don’t think I have gotten a good night’s sleep since the day I was diagnosed!
I am in no way the same person that I was before cancer. I truly believe that cancer made me a better person. I have learned that it doesn’t matter anymore if things don’t go my way. All the things that I thought were important before are no longer important. I know now what to focus my time on, because I don’t know when my time will be taken away from me. I am blessed to have overcome this disease, when so many others have lost their life to it.
I am alive today because someone researched. Someone researched exactly what medications would work with my specific disease. Someone was able to research because someone donated money. Relay for Life is such an amazing event because it raises not only money for cancer research, but it also raises awareness. While in college, I was on the Relay for Life committee, and I learned so many things about cancer that I had never known before. I never want to have anyone feel what I felt the day I found out I had cancer. It’s scary, it’s painful, it’s numbing, it’s overwhelming. Hopefully one day cancer won’t be a dirty word. Hopefully it will be something that someone hears and is able to think to themselves that yes, they CAN and WILL overcome this. -LG
As Always, Pay It Forward and Enjoy Life!!!
-SDO, Inspiration Artist!
If you liked this blog, found it informative, funny, interesting or just enjoyed it in any way and want to thank me, feel free to buy me a cup of coffee, a spirit of your choice or leave a tip just like you would at a restaurant. If you found this useful, let me know. 😉
Sean Knows 