CSULB
cancer survivors walk proud, help charity
By
Abby Craig
Online Forty-Niner
Contributing Writer
For most of us, the phrase “don’t sweat the small stuff” is
not easily applied to our lives. While lack of parking and procrastinated study
sessions may cause extreme stress for the average Cal State Long Beach student,
Katherine Roberts and Jamie Deaton have learned those things do not matter.
But then again, Roberts, a senior, and Deaton, a sophomore, are not the average
CSULB students — they each fought and won a battle with cancer while
still in elementary school.
At 6 years old, Roberts was diagnosed with neuroblastoma, a solid tumor by
her right kidney. After the initial exploratory surgery, Roberts underwent
rounds of chemotherapy and radiation to shrink the tumor. Once the tumor was
small enough, another surgery was performed to remove it, as well as a bone
marrow transplant to ensure it did not come back. Roberts is proud to say she
has been in remission for 13 years now.
Deaton was 9 when she was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s Lymphoma in the lymph
nodes on her right side. She underwent three surgeries before being declared
in remission.
“
I was only 9 so I don’t remember my initial reaction,” Deaton said. “I
remember being in the hospital a lot. Obviously it was devastating.”
Both Roberts and Deaton were out of school for a year. Missing the second grade
was not too hard on Roberts, and the administration at St. Cornelius Catholic
School in Long Beach was very accommodating for Deaton, whose parents hired
a private tutor.
Now in college, both are highly involved with the American Cancer Society (ACS),
a stipulation of the scholarship they received from the organization. Each
year ACS grants $5,000 scholarships to assist pediatric cancer survivors with
college tuition.
Roberts and Deaton are also both members of Colleges Against Cancer (CAC) and
participate in the CAC/ACS’s “Relay For Life,” which takes
place on the CSULB track.
“
Relay For Life” is an event where teams walk around the track in relay
fashion for 24 hours. Both Roberts and Deaton are team captains and Roberts
helps to organize the event. This year’s “Relay For Life” in
Long Beach begins at 6:00 p.m. April 21.
Roberts, who has been active in the CAC for four years, also speaks at engagements
for ACS.
“
I speak to the financial backers for the Society,” Roberts said. “I’m
there to show them I am a by-product of their funding.”
Being an integral part of raising cancer awareness also helps form a support
group with survivors. Such a connection to the community and others who have
faced similar circumstances make it easier to deal with life.
“
Sometimes it feels like we are wearing neon signs above our heads saying we’re
survivors,” Roberts said. “But it allows us to push ahead and not
dwell on the little things.”
“
It’s not in the past, it’s not history,” Deaton agrees. “This
is something that is a part of you until you die.”
It is hard to imagine finding time for such heavy involvement in volunteer
work. To these two, it doesn’t feel like work, it’s more a part
of who they are.
“
Students who weather the challenges and hardships of cancer often develop compassion,
character and resilience — qualities that lend themselves to strong leadership,” said
Charles Smith, chairman of ACS’s Los Angeles Regional Council, in a press
release. “By providing them with financial assistance, the American Cancer
Society helps young cancer survivors achieve the dreams and aspirations that
gave them hope during their recovery and prepares them for a lifetime of community
involvement.”
According to ACS, more than 1,500 Californians under the age of 20 are diagnosed
with cancer every year.
Although the majority makes it to adulthood, financial hardships often echo
for many years following. These scholarships help those whose families have
been touched by cancer and made it through.
For more information about ACS access its Web site at www.cancer.org or call
its Los Angeles office at (213) 386-7660.
|
