“Why Stanford Fights Cancer” – our series highlighting why members from all walks of our Stanford community want to fight cancer, in their own words. If you would like to let us know why you want to fight cancer, fill out the form at http://bit.ly/whyifight. Today’s story comes from Hailey Juszczak, ’15.
I’m Hailey Juszczak and this is why I Relay.
In 2000, my grandma was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s Lymphoma. I was only seven and all I knew was what I was told: “Hodgkin’s Lymphoma is one of the better cancers, a cancer
Hailey Juszczak, '15
with a cure.” I tried forcing myself to believe that she would be okay but, at night, I could still hear my mom sobbing behind her bedroom door, so I would sob behind my door, too. I didn’t want her to know that I could hear her; she was always so strong, so positive in front of me. To inspire hope, my mom got my whole family LiveStrong bracelets; they were powerful bracelets she said, and she was going to wear hers until my grandma was cured. She wore her bracelet until my grandma was cured. However, five years later, my grandma relapsed. This time, the bracelet didn’t work. A few years after my grandma’s death, my mom’s LiveStrong broke, and I watched her break into tears and curse at the “stupid bracelet that didn’t mean anything” as she threw it into the garbage.
This summer I watched my grandpa fight prostate cancer. I spent time taking care of him, emptying his bedpan, helping him get dressed, and tucking him into bed. His atrophy was evident day by day, yet there was nothing I or his doctor couls do for him. One night my grandma ran out of her bedroom distraught: “Hailey, I don’t think he is breathing!” I sprinted to his room to find only a false alarm. Afterwards, she told me, “that is the way it’s going to happen, I’m going to walk into the bedroom and find him lying there, not breathing. I don’t know what I would do without him.” She had been with my grandpa since they were in high school and I didn’t know what she would do without him, either. We both broke into tears, and there was nothing I could do but be there. He died three days before I left for Stanford. I dug through my drawers and found my LiveStrong; I vow to wear it until cancer is cured.
I Relay in memory of my mom’s mom and my dad’s dad. I Relay for anyone who has watched a family member die of cancer. But this year, I Relay for hope. Just two weeks ago, I found out my aunt was diagnosed with a large cell lung cancer in stage 4. The treatment in cases like hers is usually palliative, yet her doctor believes he is one of the only doctors that can treat her for a cure. Through Relay for Life, we are raising money to fund research that will direct cancer treatment toward a goal of curing cancer rather than preparing the patient for a comfortable death. I like to believe that Relay for Life is part of the reason my aunt has the possibility to live. I Relay because I will wear my LiveStrong until cancer is cured, and the bracelet won’t last forever.
To raise money, I’ve taken advantage of Relay for Life’s Relay center. I’ve personalized emails derived from Relay Center’s “Donation Ask” template. I’ve included a personal request for donation and I ask the potential donors to pass along the email to their friends and co-workers. Sending out a few emails doesn’t take much time and the benefits often exceed expectation. Most people want to and are willing to give back; we just need to show them where to do it. Don’t be afraid to email your professors, your extended family, or those casual acquaintances whom you haven’t spoken to in years; the worst response you can receive is “no,” and no amount of “no’s” can stop us from trying to make this a cancer-free world!
Hailey Juszczak, ’15
Relay For Life Team Captain | Team DISlike Cancer
