Brandy Vargas – A Portrait of a ‘Survivor’
Brandy Vargas Age: 39 Diagnosis: January 2006, Nodular Sclerosis Hodgkin’s Lymphoma 2A. Confirmed remission August 2006. Relapse symptoms April 2007, confirmed relapse July 2007 Treatment: ABVD Chemo x 6, Rads to chest/neck August 2006. August 2007 – ICE+Velcade x 3 (clinical trial), BEAM + Auto-SCT (MDA) October 2007. Complete Remission since September 2007. Tell us […]
“My Voice” by Jaime Needel
As you get older you begin to characterize yourself by your varied titles; mommy, wife, daughter, career person, but you don’t think at age 25 you will be a Cancer Survivor. The definition of Survivor changed shape for me over time. When I first heard the term when I was diagnosed in 2003 at 25, […]
“My Voice” by Myles Blackwell
When I was fifteen years old, I thought I would be going to school and spending my time hanging out with friends. I never thought I would be spending hours in the hospital while chemotherapy dripped through my veins. When I learned I had cancer, I was not shocked. I did not have a full […]
“My Voice” by Donald Wilhelm
What does it mean to me to be a survivor? It’s a private club that I’m extremely proud to belong to. Although the initiation to get into the survivors club stinks, I feel a kindred bond with folks with similar experiences, even though I may never have met them. Further, I feel like I am […]
“My Voice” by Dr. Stan Steinberg
I was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s disease in 1975 after accidentally swallowing a staple. I was a freshman in college and thought I had the flu, so I had stayed home from school for a few days. A fraternity brother had copied his class notes for me. On Friday afternoon I sat and read the notes […]
“My Voice” by Heather Dziczek
I was 31 years old, working out at the gym – something I had finally started doing regularly about 10 months earlier after a largely sedentary life – and had some trouble breathing. While this wasn’t normal for me, it was easy to dismiss since I was exercising. A few days later, when I had […]
“My Voice” by Britta Aragon
My first experience with cancer came when I was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s Disease at the age of 16. Back in 1992, the “C” word was rarely mentioned, spoken only in whispers or behind closed doors. Fortunately, I was young, and as they say, ignorance is bliss. I wasn’t aware of the severity of the disease. […]
“My Voice” by Theresa Ameri
In part, the past six years have been an absolute blur. One minute I was in complete control of my life, and the next I was spiraling out of control into chaos. The irony being, of course, that control is one of the biggest illusions. At twenty eight, I was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s lymphoma. It […]
