While mom says initially there is no silver lining, one positive that came out of our experience is all the amazing people, organizations and charities whom are all truly selfless and go to great lengths to help and care for people they’ve never even met! We are a family with ties stronger than steel. Our experiences have been exponentially trying and have only made our ties stronger.

Making friends that understand the unique experience of childhood cancer has been the highlight. During our daughter’s treatment before COVID, we connected with a lot more people, but even after COVID-policy restrictions, passing in the halls, we would swap numbers with families and made sure to give words of hope and encouragement to each other where possible.

I think the journey was what taught me about faith and trust in God. The journey still affects me daily, mentally, physically, and emotionally. I have anxiety, depression and PTSD. I have long term effects from chemotherapy and surgeries. But it was all worth it to be where I am now. I am so thankful to have the opportunity to live a life, so many didn’t.

It’s so hard to know what to tell other survivors, because each one is so unique. But I guess my broad statement would just be that giving up and quitting is not an option. Staying positive is so important. Don’t compare yourself to others and remember that you are worth every second of the fight.

I grew up knowing how hard things could be and how bad I could feel. It made me very grateful for life and helped me understand my own place in the world at a young age. It gave me great empathy for others and helped me to keep moving forward, because that’s the only option you have.

I believe navigating my daughter through her cancer and treatment made me a better person --- a more compassionate, loving person, yet also a “harder core” person, if that makes sense. Not much makes me cry and small things no longer bother me. I feel incredibly lucky and blessed to be a mother. I possess strength and resilience that I never had before. I never knew I had the strength in me to do this. I was seven months pregnant with my son when my daughter got sick. Shortly before her diagnosis, I had a dream that I was crawling on my stomach in some type of hardcore military drill. Anyway, it felt impossible to me, and I recall deciding that I wanted to quit I remember thinking “there is always an out to this type of activity,” and knowing that I would end it. When I attempted to get out, however, I learned that there WAS no way out. I think that dream was preparing me for what was to come, and sending me a message that I would be able to survive it. I remember feeling that this was one of the few times in my life where I had literally had NO choice.