When I was 16, I was diagnosed with stage 2 nodular sclerosing Hodgkin lymphoma (NSHL). The days following my diagnosis were a whirlwind of hospital visits, consultations, and treatment plans. I had heard about the side effects—nausea, fatigue, hair loss—but experiencing them firsthand was a feeling like no other. As a sophomore in high school, it genuinely feels like your world is crumbling. The possibility of being bald for your first prom or worried you’ll miss out on important moments because of a cancer diagnosis is scary because it’s uncontrollable and something you would have never planned for. Yet, amid the physical trials, there were moments of unexpected beauty. My friends, coworkers, and family rallied around me with support. Each word of encouragement, every shared smile, and each small act of kindness became my source of strength. Cancer is as much a mental battle as it is a physical one. This journey would not have been possible without the amazing team behind me, who pushed me to continue being myself and to not let cancer get me down. And because of them, they kept me motivated, and I graduated a year early from high school and participated in all regular activities while working. In June 2023, I entered remission, but this was not the end of my story. I became a 2025 Visionaries of the Year candidate in St. Louis, Missouri, and worked with an incredible team for 10 weeks to raise money for Blood Cancer Research, and I couldn’t be more grateful for the experiences I’ve been blessed with amid a cancer diagnosis. This July, I will be granted my Make-A-Wish to Puerto Rico!
Jenna
nodular sclerosing Hodgkin lymphoma (NSHL)
