September 8, 2021: I didn’t know it at the time, but the mass I found in my neck the night before I started my senior year of high school would forever change my life.
Just a month before this day, I competed in the USA Triathlon Age Group National Championships, not knowing I had cancer. My typical summer day consisted of me waking up early before work to train, going to my 9-6 job as a beach lifeguard, and then going to my high school sports practice after that. I felt exhausted. I was working so hard at my training, and yet, I was seeing no improvement. If anything, I was getting slower. I was so unbelievably frustrated.
My normally light and loving personality had started to fade, and my parents became concerned about how tired I was. It was shortly after this that I found the mass in my neck. My world was consumed by tests and scans, and a chest x-ray revealed another mass in my chest about the size of a lacrosse ball. I was admitted to the hospital for emergency surgery to remove and biopsy the mass in my neck. And on September 28, 2021, the doctor informed me that I had stage 2 Hodgkin lymphoma (HL).
My mom and I were able to convince Memorial Sloan Kettering (MSK) Pediatrics to research the cooling cap treatment used in adult care during chemo to help prevent the complete loss of hair. I am now officially the first pediatric patient at MSK to use the cap, and hopefully, other childhood cancer patients can now be given this option. I am planning to start a foundation that will continue to help fund these treatments for children at MSK as they are not covered by insurance.
Despite the relief of keeping my hair, I’ve found myself having to validate my sickness to other people. Hair should not define a sickness.
I can now see the finish line for my chemo treatments. This has been one of my hardest races yet. But I will finish and finish with a smile (like always).
I know this journey can feel as if it’s never-ending, but keep pushing and stay determined. Don’t ignore signs or symptoms. Listen to your body. Let’s raise awareness and fight this together!
Alayna
Hodgkin lymphoma (HL)
