Not Alone

Something that people should always remember is that whenever we go through difficult times, we are never alone. There are others in this world who care about us—whether they are family members, friends, co-workers, or even strangers—and who will be by our side even if just in thought or prayer.

My family and friends were always there for me. Although I was the one who had cancer and the one who had to fight, they were also fighting with me. They gave me strength and courage through their support and prayers. That was important because the love and the care they displayed made me realize that they did not want to lose me and I did not want to lose them. They inspired me to fight even more.

Other people who supported me and prayed for me were my teachers and my classmates from high school. They did so much for me and I will always be grateful for that. Since my parents were struggling to pay the medical expenses, my teachers organized fund-raisers and collected a good amount of money so that my parents could pay the bills. They also ordered and sold cancer wristbands with the words, "Strength and Courage." My classmates, on the other hand, created cards for me for the holidays and for my birthday with inspirational words. I always had tears in my eyes when reading them.

The nurses, the oncologists, and the rest of the staff who took care of me at the Valerie Center and the Goryeb Children's Hospital at Morristown Medical Center never left my side as well. They were not just there to inject me with medicines or with chemotherapy, but they were also there to cheer me up and to make sure that I was not feeling lonely.

Slowly, they became more than just nurses, doctors, or staff members; they became my second family. I felt loved among them, but most importantly, I felt safe. In fact, there were days when I did not want to go home after being released from the hospital. I know it sounds crazy. You may ask, "Why did you want to stay there?" Well...it's because I felt like nothing could go wrong when I was there. The hospital was basically my haven.

Besides receiving support from my family, my friends, my high school teachers and my classmates, the nurses, the doctors and the staff members from the hospital, I also received support from strangers. There were people who I did not know, but who learned about my condition either from a relative or from one of my teachers. Most of these strangers were my mom's co-workers or friendly customers.

I received many things from these people who I never met. Some of these things were flowers, get well cards, inspirational books, journals where I could write down my thoughts, and even checks. It amazed me how much support and prayers an individual can get from people who they do not know.

I am thankful for all of the people who stood by my side during my battle and who supported me and prayed for me all the way through the end. They believed that I could make it and here I am today.

I am not alone...I was not alone...I will never be alone.