My experience at age 14, left me and my friends at a standstill. It was difficult to relate to each other, which made me feel like no one really understood what I was going through. The first time I opened up was when I attended Camp Ronald McDonald. It was a camp that was meant for patients and siblings to join and do activities together. I no longer felt alone. It was the first time I felt I could be ‘myself’ and talk to others about things like: medication and road maps. There were others there going through the same thing I was and it felt like a breath of fresh air, to instantly connect with a stranger through sharing similar experiences. This camp provided me with enough support to last me a lifetime. I’ve met some wonderful people I’ll be friends with for the rest of my life through this program that united us.

After attending a camp, I was able to learn how to socialize again and get out of my ‘bubble of isolation.’ However, I still found it difficult to go back to school. I had to attend physical therapy and a strength building classes during the summer before returning to school in 10th grade. I had to regain muscle that I lost during treatment so I could walk a full day in school. Returning back to school was a ‘big’ challenge. My “friends” weren’t very friendly anymore and there were so many cliques. I did manage to find a new group of friends, because my old ones didn’t say much to me. Maybe they didn’t know what to say, granted during my treatment I didn’t have the chance to keep up with the latest trends, bands or movies.

For a while, I used to come home in tears because I wanted to switch schools and go where no one knew me. I would hear comments from some kids that would say rude things like, “What happened to her? She got fat.” Or “Why did she cut her hair, it looked better long.” Classmates would also come up to me asking me if Cancer was contagious. Oh, and there was this one student who would always call me “cancer” as a nickname.

It wasn’t until I met a really good friend that actually took the time to get to know me. That’s when things turned around for me. In class, I needed a note taker because there were times when I’d be out weeks at a time. My school wasn’t the most accommodating to my needs, having to keep up with all my homework and tests. There were a few times my mom helped me finish some of my homework in the hospital room while I rested.

Honestly, a book could be written about my experience, but I’ll keep it short for now!

AYA facilities are very helpful for personal development and transitioning back into a normal life after treatment. There are so many changes that happen during treatment and after, as well as dealing with long term side effects. I still struggle from sleep deprivation and could use some help, seeing as this started when I was prescribed for medical steroids 12 years ago. When AYA’s are provided with tools to help us transition, it makes a world of difference!