Body
Everyone’s 21st birthday celebrations can vary widely. For some, it might involve enjoying their first (legally purchased) drink with friends, unwrapping gifts and gathering with family. However, my 21st birthday took a unique turn. On June 4, 2019, I received a cancer diagnosis. When I received my diagnosis, I was on my lunch break at Banana Republic in Gulf Shores, Alabama. Unsure of what to do next, I went back to work, but the gravity of the news didn’t hit me until later that evening, when I found myself in bed, overwhelmed by fear. The following morning, I woke up hoping it had all been a terrible dream, but reality set in when I checked my phone and saw that my parents and brother had arranged a flight home for me to attend my first medical appointments. The year ahead would be challenging, with its fair share of lows, but it would also bring valuable life lessons and lead to a few pivotal decisions that would alter the course of my life.