"When you die, it does not mean that you lose to cancer. You beat cancer by how you live, why you live, and in the manner in which you live" -Stuart Scott ESPYS Speech While most of you know that I am not one of the biggest followers of sports commentary, Stuart Scott's perseverance to have …
Past Inspiration – Family photo at the waterfalls of central Bali
My family and I at my favorite place in Bali. As we begin this new year, what gives me strength and hope is my family. They are the ones who continue to inspire me to push forward and accomplish my new year's resolution - to open up to support and be vulnerable.
Opening up to Support and Vulnerability – my new year’s resolution
Just after finding out about the cancer, I felt numb. I paced back and forth as my mom paid for the parking in the Dana Farber garage. When I got into the car, I broke down in tears, managing to mumble to my mom... "I'm sorry." I know I didn't need to apologize for what …
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Past Inspiration – Boys of Inle Lake, Myanmar
In my first post to my Past Inspiration photo series, I've chosen this photo of two boys passing by on their boat at Inle Lake in Myanmar during the end of my Luce scholarship year. It reminds me to appreciate what I have, and to find joy everyday in life. I hope you all have a …
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The Waiting Game
One of the most difficult aspects of dealing with this experience is waiting. It has been about a month now since I found out about the tumor, and I still do not know what the next steps will be. We are still waiting on the results of my functional MRI to determine if surgery is possible, …
Blown Away
Waking up this morning I was truly blown away by the heartfelt messages everyone has been sending. The amount of support I have received overwhelmed me to the point of tears. I have spent the past morning and afternoon reading through the messages from family, friends, and even complete strangers. I want you to know …
Medical Update 1: 5 Days Until 11 Years – finding out I have cancer
My doctor has a tell when she has bad news. She will start telling stories to help calm down the mood, but in reality it elongates the anxiety. A couple weeks into my first visit back from Indonesia, I had my annual MRI appointment at Dana Farber. As my doctor was talking, my heart was pounding, and I could tell my mom was uneasy. A few minutes later my doctor told us the bad news: There has been significant tumor growth in the area of my brain where I had my previous tumor removed 11 years ago.
