Inspirational Stories

I moved to Chicago in May 2022. I had recently finished my joint PhD in Social Work and Psychology from the University of Michigan and was offered a job as a People Analytics Researcher at Google. I loved the city and enjoyed frequent runs and cycling rides along Lake Shore Drive. In mid-July, I started noticing some symptoms that concerned me ― difficulty breathing when I was exercising, intense chest and back pain, spider veins on my chest, puffiness in my face, and fatigue. Over the next three months, I went to four different doctors about these symptoms, all of whom told me my symptoms were anxiety/stress or asthma. Feeling embarrassed, I tried to stay away from the doctor; however, while at work, I started coughing up blood. Therefore, I decided to see a telehealth doctor who told me to go straight to the ER. A CT scan showed a grapefruit-sized mass in my chest, enlarged lymph nodes, and fluid in my lungs. I was hospitalized on October 7, and on Sunday the 9th, my husband, Justin, attempted to visit me in the hospital but couldn't get to me due to the Chicago Marathon. When he finally got to me, he told me that one day he would be running that marathon with me cheering him on in complete health. 

After a biopsy, a few days later ― on my birthday ― I was diagnosed with primary mediastinal non-Hodgkin lymphoma (PMBL). Luckily, I was connected to Dr. Leo Gordon at Northwestern whom I knew I could fully trust. He recommended DA-R-EPOCH which was administered inpatient over five days, 24/7, for six rounds. After each round, the chemo was increased by 20%. While undergoing this type of chemotherapy was the most difficult thing I have ever experienced, I did find some bright spots during this time: My in-laws completely paused their lives in Utah to come to take care of me; Justin constantly reminded me that I was strong, intelligent, and beautiful, and supported me in every way imaginable; a whole community of folks across the U.S. sent me gifts and products to help me cope with chemo; my friends scheduled weekly calls with me to help me not feel alone; I connected with many nurses at Northwestern (who even danced with me in the hallways during my chemo treatments!), and was able to find a whole community of adolescent and young adult (AYA) cancer survivors whose dark humor and advice carried me through this time. After these six rounds were completed, my doctor declared that I had a complete response to treatment, and I was in remission. As soon as I received permission from my medical team, I started traveling and enjoying my healthy body ― in the past few months, I've hiked The Narrows in Zion National Park, hiked around Sol Duc Valley in Olympic National Forrest, and summitted Mount Bourgeau in Banff National Park. I'm learning that every step I take and every mountain I summit is an immense privilege. 

After returning to work at Google, I found myself missing the community of AYA survivors I had while I was in treatment. I also missed the nurses who weren't shocked by my bald head and were always empathic and attentive. Therefore, I attempted to look for a community at Google and discovered that there was a group called "Cancer Survivors @ Google," but the group was considered "abandoned." I decided to lead and revitalize this community. Now we have a community of over 400 employees and a leadership team of over 20 people! We have an internal website, chat space, email group, meet-ups, events, a seasonal newsletter, and educational resources for cancer survivors and caregivers. We also advocate for better policies for cancer survivors in the workplace when needed (I do wish to point out that Google has some of the most top-of-the-line cancer services available, from an all-expenses-paid white-glove cancer prevention screening to completely paid leave for chemo treatment or caregiving to flexible work options to free mental health services to fertility services). Being able to lead this community at Google has been one of the most fulfilling endeavors in which I've ever participated. 

During and after my treatment, Justin held true to his intention to run the Chicago Marathon. He decided to join The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society's (LLS) Team in Training (TNT) where he got connected to other cancer survivors and supporters. This year, on October 8, 2023, almost exactly a year since my hospitalization, he ran the Chicago Marathon in my honor with me cheering him on the sidelines in full health, just as he predicted would happen the year prior.