"1997 was the year I beat cancer."
This was the first line of an essay Adrienne wrote in 5th grade, a few months after finishing her first round of treatment. We all thought it was true and were working hard at getting back to normal. I so wish it were true. I found the essay while seaching for my college diploma and cried the rest of the day - no diploma but I did receive my transcript and have graduate standing at UNLV.
Are things better? It's not really like that, more like a roller coaster of downs and better days. My nephews had their bar mitzvah last weekend and between tears, mine, I managed to do my part in the ceremony and enjoy the party that night.
I start class next week. We'll see how it goes.
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Adrienne was diagnosed with Hodgkin's Disease in 1996 at age 9. She had multiple relapses, two bone marrow transplants, and a range of chemos and radiation therapies, and passed away on October 1, 2009. We are heartbroken.
Out with the Girls
About Adrienne
- Adrienne
- Adrienne was very much like others with Hodgkin's Lymphoma, the most common cancer in teens and young adults. What was unusual is that she had it for more than half her life and ultimately, it took her life. Hodgkin's is curable for about 80% people, but Adrienne was one of the 20% for whom a cure was elusive. She considered herself lucky since treatments had been there for her with each relapse but she ran out of treatment options and her body just couldn’t take any more. As she said, "Though I’ve now had cancer for most of my life, I no longer plan my life around it; instead, I try to plan cancer around my life." We hope you can take inspiration from her and how she lived her life.