Breast Cancer: A Life Story Analysis

At the age of eleven, I thought the world was full of candy and rainbows. But then, a big event happened in my life. It is a moment that will never be forgotten. As the event is full of burden in a despondent way, I realized but bad things will and can come your way, but you have to remain positive.

I have completed all the sciences courses I can at Bunker Hill Community College. I am transferring to pursue a degree in Cell and Molecular Biology, with this degree, I want to achieve a Ph.D. degree that allows me to fulfill a career in cancer research. Upon completing my degree, I want to help people living with cancer by studying this dreadful disease through exceptional research and laboratory experiences. I want to apply my expertise to cooperate with the scientific community to find more suitable cancer treatments. I am committed to transfer to a four-year institution where I will endeavor and persist to accomplish my objectives. I have enthusiasm and passion to do cancer research because my mother is currently under drug treatment for breast cancer. This affected my life emotionally and mentally. Thus, I am an inquisitive, self-motivated and persistent person.

To further my insight into the medical field I have done four months of volunteer work at Jackson Memorial Hospital where I could see first-hand the necessities’ patients go through, their needs, their suffering and the human character to the profession, how humble it makes you feel and how self-rewarding it is to be able to help others in need. It is especially moving to go over the children’s section, for those receiving chemotherapy looks on their faces and as young as they are they know what they are going through, and their comments can hit you as a rock for children can be very expressive about their condition, and you must do all that is possible to try to put on a good face and help them the best way you can. This is extremely hard not only for the family members but for the professionals who have to deal in this type of life experiences daily which as routinely as it may seem, it doesn’t stop you from impacting you at a personal

As I grew, so too did my passion to learn all that I could about the profession and medicine. When I entered college I ecstatically enrolled in my first pre-nursing classes. I was more eager and inspired than ever before. One particular day stands out in my memory of my first year in college. Everyone, at some point or another, has one of those days. Life had caught up to me and I was feeling rather down. At lunch, I headed to the farthest corner of the lunchroom, wishing more than anything to be left alone. Then, what do I know? A young man comes sauntering up to my table and asks to join me. I wanted to ask him to leave, but instead, I smiled and replied with a quiet, “Of course”. We began to chat about ourselves and before I knew it, the clouds above me began to drift away. Kindness turned out to be exactly what I needed. After we said our goodbyes, I felt renewed and hopeful again all because of the unknowing kindness of a stranger. It's

This diverse clinical settings enhanced my clinical skills beyond my expectations. The motivation to perfect my medical knowledge and skills in order to serve my future patients has been by daily inspiration. However the repetitive gratitude expressed by patients and their families and the positive feedback I received from my attendings emphasizing my ability to connect with patients especially in challenging settings,and the satisfaction I get from just making a suffering patient feels a little better, made me certain that I not only have what it takes to become a successful Oncologist but I have the personal qualities and skills that would allow me to really enjoy my

Life is a concoction of feelings and emotions. A cancer diagnosis can be shattering and can turn their quintessential world into an isolated corner filled with suffering and pain. It can be intensely emotional and debilitating. As patients come face to face with their own death and cope with the many demands of cancer, they tend to look more closely towards their religious beliefs, personal and family values, and what’s most crucial in their life. Accepting the diagnosis and determining how to deal with cancer is challenging. Dr. Bearing is amazed by the superficial and uncaring treatment she receives from the medical staff. She feels lonely and agitated with the lack of contact or worthy communication with anyone. Through her flashback, she recalls instances where she fails to value and acknowledge her students’ work and

Also, I find the dynamics of cancer treatment to be absolutely fascinating. I’ve experienced the physical and emotional toll it takes on an individual and their family, and I would like to make a contribution to help better understand the disease as well as better the lives of those who are diagnosed. Along with seeking acceptance into the SURF+ program, I am also in the process of looking for opportunities in which I can volunteer or work in a cancer care setting. Volunteering or working in a cancer care setting while supplementing that experience with research in the field is an extremely rare and invaluable opportunity. If I am accepted, I am almost certain that my experiences during this summer will serve as the core of any of my future endeavors. Currently, I am close to wrapping up my first year of volunteering with Honor Health at the Deer Valley Medical Center, and I can say, without any hesitation, that my desire and motivation to make health care my career has only continued to grow. Additionally, I have taken the time to learn about MIHS itself, its mission, and the services it provides to the

Five years ago in 2012 my Aunt Mary died from cancer. Cancer had consumed her whole body. It started in her liver and spread to different organs and even reached her brain. When she found out she had cancer she was told she only had a few months to live. I had just seen her on a trip we had before we found out she had cancer and that was the last time I saw her.

I had the honor of shadowing Jenn Dagger, a registered Oncology nurse who works at the Perelman Center for Advanced Medicine. She works in the Oncology unit located on the third floor west pavilion, which contains both the Rena Rowan Breast Cancer Center and the Jordan Center for Gynecologic Cancers. She graduated from the University of Pennsylvania with a Bachelor’s degree of Science in Nursing and decided to stay in Philadelphia to pursue a career. She originally worked in the Cardiac unit, but she came to the realization that this unit did not fit what she wanted in a career. After acknowledging her dissatisfaction, she decided to switch to the Oncology unit. This change proved to be successful, as she now loves her job and feels fulfilled in her role as a nurse. During my visit she demonstrated leadership and teamwork among the other nurses in the unit. In recognition of her work caring for patients and their families, she received the DAISY (Diseases Attacking the Immune System) Award.

When I was in 6th grade my Aunt Dana was fighting cancer, and had been for 3 ½ years, I supported her all the way through it. So we held a rally in Thompsonville to support her and show her how much she meant to all of us, and that if she could fight cancer and get up every morning knowing it could be her last than we can get up and fight our battles. She was my light in a very dark tunnel.

The Coalition sat down with young survivor Sue Cirencione to talk about life a year and a half after receiving a diagnosis of breast cancer. Over coffee on a chilly autumn day in Geneva, NY, she shared her story.

While I was finishing up my freshman year in college, my father went through a major surgery in which he had to remove almost a third of his internal organs due to the visceral metastasis. His attending physician thoroughly but carefully explained to my family about his condition which equipped us with a greater understanding of cancer pathology. Although my father’s condition did not seem promising at that time, my family was touched by the empathetic physician who made my father’s condition sound very manageable and hopeful. I believe that my father’s quick recovery after a total of eight chemotherapy treatments was a miracle. Through his recovery, I became more appreciative of what the medicine could offer to the patients and their families that help them alleviate both physical and emotional

As a patient care volunteer at Chandler Regional Hospital’s surgical/orthopedics department, one particular patient exemplified the difference one state of mind can make. I had been doing my weekly room check-ins when I met Mary, a patient who had knee surgery following a car accident she had been in. When I asked what she needed, she requested a glass of water and a warm blanket for her husband. I was struck by how attentive she was towards his needs considering she had just been in surgery a day earlier. She later shared that her husband was in fact undergoing cancer therapy.

Ever since I was a little girl, I wanted to work in Oncology. Specifically, I wanted to work at St. Jude’s Medical Center. All I have yearned for in life is to become a person that can take away the pain that someone is going through just with a simple smile and a conversation. The pain won’t necessarily vanish, but to be able to take it away even for a second and to keep one’s mind off of what is mentally and physically harming them would be successful in my eyes. Through this semester, I acquired the knowledge and tough lesson that I am not perfect and that nothing is guaranteed.

It was at that moment that I realized; I’m a member of a community that brings the light of hope back into people's lives. We do our best to aid those who have been struggling on the dark and arduous road to remission. We are the friends, family, and survivors who raise money for the family struggling to pay the bills because the price of chemotherapy is more than they make in a year. We are the volunteers that plan and coordinate events like the one I was at to celebrate those who overcame cancer and motivate those fighting the battle we call “treatment”. We are a message that reinvigorates belief for those combating