Survivor Story Writing Sample

Hairless and Humble
By Sally Stearns Ribbons took the place of her hair. During her two and a half years of chemotherapy, Alex Lechko woke up one morning noticing clumps of hair on her pillow. She immediately walked into her parents room, grabbed a buzzer, and asked her mom to shave her head. At her sisters birthday party, she took all the ribbons from her sisters gifts and taped them to her head, then walked around pretending they were her hair. According to the American Childhood Cancer Organization, there are currently an estimated 270,000 survivors of childhood cancer in the U.S. This equates to one in 640 young adults between the ages of 20 to 39 being a survivor of a childhood malignancy. Alex Lechko and Taylor Ross are two examples of these survivors. Lechko was diagnosed with leukemia at age four. I went from playing dress up and Barbies to making the hospital my second home in a matter of hours, she said. The doctor explained her leukemia in a way she would understand. She drew pictures of doughnuts and said this is what normal blood looks like and said I started making way too many doughnuts too fast and they werent being made properly, so it looked like someone ate a giant chunk out of each doughnut, Lechko said. During chemotherapy, smell, taste, touch and sounds would often times irritate her and the littlest things would set her off. I still can't eat certain foods because it triggers memories of getting sick on my chemo, she said.
But her mother never left her side. My family was extremely supportive. My mom would not even go down the hall to grab a coffee, she was always right next to me, Lechko said. Lechkos mother recalled Alex as a child before diagnosis. Alex was a sweet little girl with heart of gold. She never wanted to hurt anyone's feelings. Even then she had an amazing determination and strong will, and that only got stronger, she said. Alex never complained during her recovery process. On occasion, she would even tell me she was sorry, Mrs. Lechko said. Her mom was hesitant to let her leave the house after her remission, and facing college was no different. I will never stop worrying about her, period. She had a lot of bad chemo, which can cause side effects in her future, but its nothing we can't handle. Nothing is, she said. More recently, Taylor Ross was diagnosed on May 31, 2012 with Stage Four Hodgkin's Lymphoma when she was 19 years old. She underwent six months of chemotherapy every other week. The only reason I went to the doctor in the first place was because I had a bump on my left collar bone, Ross said. It has been hard to forget that she had cancer. Sometimes I do turn my head and wonder why my hair isn't flipping onto the other side of my neck, Ross said. Her treatment started June 25, 2012 and ended November 27, 2012. She found out she was in remission in early January.
Ross had finished her sophomore year when she was diagnosed, and was forced to withdraw for Fall 2012. It was weird being back at first, but now Im excited to be on track for my future, she said.
Foundation Supports Survivors The Dragonfly Foundation is a Cincinnati-based foundation started in August 2010 that supports families of young adults with cancer along their journey through treatment and healing. Vice President and Co-Founder Ria Davidson has nothing but the highest hopes for cancer survivors pursuing high education. It is very likely for cancer survivors to attend college, she said. Our opinion is that while our young adults can't wait to start their lives, they want to experience life fully and capitalize on every opportunity, including college. With finals, projects and internships, the idea of college may scare some incoming students. But according to Davidson, college is nothing for cancer survivors. After cancer, extended hospital stays, and having strangers poke, prod, and invade their personal space, everything else is a piece of cake! Davidson said. Relay for Life Relay For Life is an event sponsored by the American Cancer Society in which communities across the globe come together to honor cancer survivors, remember loved ones lost, and fight back against a disease that has already taken too much.
Relay teams camp out overnight and take turns walking or running around a track or path at a local high school, park, or fairground. Relay events are up to 24 hours in length and, because cancer never sleeps, each team is asked to have at least one participant on the track at all times. This year, Relay for Life was held on Miamis campus April 13, in Millet Hall. Lechko and Ross were both speakers and told their survival stories. Relay for Life Recruitment Chair Melissa Danubio recruited both girls to speak at the event. Every single year I have met someone new within this organization who has inspired me in a new way, she said. Hearing peoples stories is heartbreaking, but seeing the passion they derive from them is truly something amazing! The event had 46 teams, 393 participants, and raised $30,707.11 to fight cancer. We would not be able to accomplish what we do without the Miami students. We can only hope next year will be even better than this one, Danubio said.
Looking Ahead Both Lechko and Ross have both taken away life lessons from their experiences. I think that having cancer gave me a new perspective on life. I try to enjoy every day and I never let myself go to bed mad, Ross said. Ross also said she sometime gets stared at for her short hair. I think that this has helped me realize that I need to be more aware of how I look at and judge other people - I don't know their story. I try to greet everyone I see with a smile, Ross said.
Lechko takes away a similar lesson from her experience. I don't think I'm above people or anything because I am a survivor. I just think it's nice to have a story to share, Lechko said. Cancer has not stopped Lechko from living her life. Cancer has taught me more than I will ever allow it to take, Lechko said.

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Hairless and Humble

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