I used to wish it had never happened.
I was diagnosed with Stage Four Neuroblastoma cancer at age two. The three-year survival rate was 30% at the time and my parents did not expect that I would live long.
While I do not remember the physical challenge I went through during the 6 months of treatment, (surgery, radiation, two stem cell transplants, chemotherapy), the aftermath of cancer has shaped me. The challenges I have gone through have defined me and will continue to define me.
Fifteen years of hospital visits, checkups, and scans have been dreadful. Having to spend entire days doing tests and going through long scans is stressful. However, overcoming those experiences have taught me valuable lessons. Having to go through tests has made me able to adapt to whatever is thrown at me. The fact that the cancer could come back at anytime has always made me nervous, but it has made me look on the bright side. Another lasting effect of cancer that I have to live through is my stunted growth. Growing up, I was always the smallest kid. I have been using growth hormone, taking a shot and pill everyday for the past three years, to help maximize my growth. When I first started, I wanted to quit in the first week. Although at times it is painful, I still continue to push through it. …show more content…
They have made me mentally strong and determined. I found soccer as a sport that rewards determination and skill over size. I have worked hard to prove that my size does not matter to be a competitor. Whether that's jumping for a ball against an opponent that is six feet tall or slide tackling, it doesn’t matter or affect
I was diagnosed with Stage Four Neuroblastoma cancer at age two. The three-year survival rate was 30% at the time and my parents did not expect that I would live long.
While I do not remember the physical challenge I went through during the 6 months of treatment, (surgery, radiation, two stem cell transplants, chemotherapy), the aftermath of cancer has shaped me. The challenges I have gone through have defined me and will continue to define me.
Fifteen years of hospital visits, checkups, and scans have been dreadful. Having to spend entire days doing tests and going through long scans is stressful. However, overcoming those experiences have taught me valuable lessons. Having to go through tests has made me able to adapt to whatever is thrown at me. The fact that the cancer could come back at anytime has always made me nervous, but it has made me look on the bright side. Another lasting effect of cancer that I have to live through is my stunted growth. Growing up, I was always the smallest kid. I have been using growth hormone, taking a shot and pill everyday for the past three years, to help maximize my growth. When I first started, I wanted to quit in the first week. Although at times it is painful, I still continue to push through it. …show more content…
They have made me mentally strong and determined. I found soccer as a sport that rewards determination and skill over size. I have worked hard to prove that my size does not matter to be a competitor. Whether that's jumping for a ball against an opponent that is six feet tall or slide tackling, it doesn’t matter or affect