Cancer Rebellion
Hey my name’s Hernan - I was 15 when I went through treatment for Acute Myelogenous Leukemia. Somehow I beat it - but I felt so much was wrong about my experience. Things that could have helped other young people survive were missing.
With hopes that I could improve the cancer experience for others, I started making short films about it. I wanted to show other patients that they are not alone — and to show the world that there are young people fighting cancer all around them. But I knew that in order to do this I would have to hit the road. So I packed up my gear and set out on a trip that would take the next year of my life to complete.
I went to all 50 states, drove 25k miles of road, and collected 28TB of footage. But more important than that - I met 90 great people who I now call my friends. I hope you enjoy their stories as much as I enjoyed this journey.
Below are some of the blog entries I wro Let’s step back and relive some of those miles!
I Wouldn’t Miss it for Anything
My name is Micaela, and on December of 2016, I received my first cancer diagnosis of sarcoma botryoides, a rare type of cancer.
Read MoreHealing Through Song
This past February, I was diagnosed with a rare form of Leukemia—a complete shock to my system. Cancer doesn’t run in my family, a...
Read MoreWhat is Normal?
My name is Tori and I am 24 years old. I was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia at 19, right before I was about to finish my second...
Read MorePatience Navigating Patients
Hello! I am Shannon Voelkel, one of the new additions to the Duke Cancer Institute’s Teen and Young Adult Oncology Program. I starte...
Read MoreBeing Healthy is a Gift
by Samantha Stacey Being healthy is a gift. If you have never been seriously ill, you may not fully understand the sentiment of tha...
Read MoreThe Reality of Breast Cancer
by Bethany I was diagnosed with metastatic breast cancer in March of 2018 when I was 25 years old and living abroad. As the story n...
Read MoreA New Hope
When we meet fellow adolescent & young adult cancer patients, there is also hope. Hope that their treatment works. Hope that their heal...
Read MoreThoughts On Holistic Health
“How long ago?” I heard a man ask, as I stood staring into the seafood case at the supermarket trying to read the fine print...
Read MoreHelping Each Other Grow
Hilary Gan, Director of Hospital Programs and Services and Kara Noskoff, Hospital Programs and Services Manager discuss updates with Te...
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