Young Adult

I am a Hodgkin’s lymphoma survivor. It took me seven months to build up the courage to share my story, but if my story inspires even just one other patient like myself, I’d be more than grateful.

I thought it was 'just another torn meniscus' back in the fall of 2019. The symptoms and signs all seemed too familiar and I just knew I'd have to get my meniscus repaired again, but this time in my left knee.

“About six years………”

The doctor kept speaking but the words evaporated into thin air as Julie quickly did mental math to figure out what ages her children would be when she died. Flashes of all the events she would miss flitted across her mind. Julie had been diagnosed with multiple myeloma. 

My name is Rachel Iruegas, and on June 4, 2019, I heard the dreaded words that no one ever wants to hear: “you have cancer.” I was diagnosed with stage 2B Hodgkin lymphoma (HL). In that moment, my mind went blank and my body numb. I honestly do not remember much of what my oncologist said after that.