The Observer, March 21, 2008
Volume XL, Issue 21
A cancer survivor's story: Emily Friedlander
Case Western Reserve University's first annual Relay For Life is approaching and the whole campus is getting involved. Teams are working together to raise the most money and people are bringing out those dusty tents from their garage for the big sleepover on the turf. For everyone, it is a day to fight back by raising money and awareness to discover a way to find a cure for and prevent this terrible disease. For some, it is a day to remember. For others, it is a day to celebrate.
Emily Friedlander, a freshman on Phi Mu's team, will celebrate five years of remission as she walks each lap around the track next month. When she was in seventh grade, after months of feeling sick with symptoms of mono and strep throat, Emily's mom took her for a chest X-ray. In March of 2002, at the age of 12, that Emily was diagnosed with Hodgkin's lymphoma Stage 1. It was decided that Emily would be treated close to home, at one of the best children's hospitals in America. Emily would recieve treatments twice a week, at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP). Her family was devastated, but it was Emily's courage that strengthened them. Ignoring every reason she had to be afraid, Emily accepted this news and stepped into the ring for the fight of her life. Emily said, "Something just told me, if I just keep going, I can fight it and be done with it."
Emily went into remission in October of 2002. The experience required her to grow up fast. She explained, "I felt like a completely different kid. My whole outlook on life is different. This experience made me strong." After going through such a traumatic situation, the last thing Emily wanted to do was look back on her experience. She did not want to talk about it, and neither did her family. She just wanted to "get her last check-up to make sure it was all gone and never talk about it again." After living with this attitude for a few months, Emily realized she needed to let herself heal. Her family became very involved with the Lymphoma Leukemia Society, which is connected to the American Cancer Society. She was girl of the year for LSS and spoke at various events, sharing her story.
Though Emily has participated heavily in events through LSS, she has never participated in Relay For Life. After joining Phi Mu, Emily learned that the event was coming to Case for the very first time. She joined the Phi Mu team and they all began to work together to raise money. She is taking an active role in the event as one of the team's captains. She explained to me what the captains decided when setting goals for the team.
"Everyone is so supportive and is working hard to raise money. We decided that the team's focus would be to look ahead to the future and not to dwell on the past. This has made me really comfortable with doing Relay For Life," she said.
During her time at CHOP, Emily was inspired by one special nurse to reach out and help others. To her, it meant being a nurse and being an advocate. It led her down the road to health care and placed her in the class of 2011 at the Frances Payne Bolton School of Nursing, here at Case. In addition, Emily who is very involved with LSS at home in Philadelphia, wants to find her place in Cleveland to reach out to others who are dealing with what she went through.
