Cancer Diary II
Eighteen months after my mother passed away, I was diagnosed with grade four brain cancer at the age of 25. When I look back on the last five years, it really puts my life into perspective. We all want to be great, but life doesn’t come without suffering.
The greatest honor in this journey has been inspiring others. It wasn’t easy—it was incredibly hard—but if my experience can make it easier for someone else, that makes it all worth it. One of the most rewarding parts was inspiring my own father. Without realizing it, I motivated him to take control of his health.
Nine months after my diagnosis, I moved back in with my dad, who was beginning to show early signs of Parkinson’s. It was tough. I hadn’t lived at home since I was 19, and this time, my mom wasn’t there. He was missing his wife, and I was missing my mom. Despite our differences—I even punched a hole in the wall—we navigated through it. He wanted me to focus on chemotherapy, while I was drawn to alternative treatments. He leaned into Christianity, and I found comfort in Taoism. Yin and Yang—father and son.
