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Hello, my name is Noah Ports, and I created this fundraiser to help children who are battling cancer. Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation helped me when I was battling cancer. They help fund research, support kids who are currently going through cancer treatments, and are active in the cancer community. Anyone can donate to this fundraiser. If you donate to participate in the cornhole event, please make sure you donate $5 by September 25th. If you want to hear about my experience with cancer, you may read it below.
A little bit about my story
My experience started with having pain. This pain was constant, throbbing, sharp, and distracting. My family took me to get an X-ray of my spine, and the doctor said it is probably a pulled muscle. I felt like I was going insane. That night we went to the ER and got a scan. At this point, they gave me morphine to help with the pain. I got a CT scan, and the doctor said it was a cyst or a benign tumor. They wanted me to get an MRI to get a better picture. After an MRI, then another MRI, and then a misdiagnosis of osteomyelitis, I finally got tested for cancer and was diagnosed with a bone cancer called Ewing Sarcoma.
During my cancer experience, I had good and bad days. Somedays, I was overwhelmed with the thought of what if I relapse or if the chemo stops working. I eventually had to decide if I wanted radiation or surgery. This decision was like a life and death decision that I felt I had. I was 17 and didn’t think I should have to make this type of decision. If I choose wrong, I could relapse. I ended up choosing radiation. I had times where I missed high school and missed being able to hang out with my friends. There were also a lot of fun memories. I did hang out with friends every so often, I met some of the Steelers rookies during the 2016-17 season. I saw penguins painting, and I saw two hockey games. I met a lot of amazing people, including other cancer kids.
My closest cancer friend was named Carly. She also died earlier this year from a relapse. There are three other people who I need to mention. Brady and Cameron were good friends. They both died from the same type of cancer I had. Finally, Yaheim was youngest of them all, and he was a character. I met him on a cancer ski retreat, and he was the life of that retreat, and he passed away a few months after it.
What I am trying to get at is that cancer is not something I would wish upon anyone. I made this fundraiser/Event to try to give to those who need it. These foundations help relieve stress and try to help cure cancer. Without foundations like this, my cancer experience would have been a lot worse. I am 3 years’ cancer-free, and not everyone can say they are, so I wanted to try to use where I am at in life to give back.