Rebuilding Life After Lymphatic Cancer
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Hello. I'm Dan. Thank
you for taking the time to read this Two years ago I was diagnosed with Hodgkin's
lymphoma (cancer of the lymphatic system). My older brother had been treated for the same condition when I was a
teenager, so I had an idea of what to expect going in. What I didn't anticipate,
and what I wasn't prepared for, was the effect it would have on the rest of my life.
Two years later I am "all clear" as they say (no doctor is ever going to tell you that you're 100% cured). The fact that my older brother is still alive 20 years after his first diagnosis gives me hope that I will follow in his footsteps. But the rest of my life is in tatters. I'm unemployed. Bankrupt. And with my parents deceased and my older brother having a young family to take care of, I have little idea of where else to turn.
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My experience as a patient has given me a new perspective on illness and a desire to "give something back". I always wanted to be a veterinarian, but the ship has well and truly sailed on that one. After some research however, I've found that there is a course of study available for veterinary technicians (nurses). Completing it would put me in a position to help animals "“ and their owners "“ in times of difficulty and uncertainty. It would also set me on a path back into the workplace and give me hands-on work experience. Something I haven't had much of over the last two years.
So what's the catch? Well it's a question of money. Having depleted my own financial reserves and trashing my credit history with an unwanted (though necessary) bankruptcy, I'm not in a position to fund the course of study. So that's why I'm here. I'm here to ask anyone who understands what it's like to find yourself in a position you never imagined, and anyone who understands how easy it can be for people to slip through the cracks, and anyone who understands the havoc that an unexpected illness can cause in a person's financial and professional life, to help me to help myself "“ and eventually others.
I've already secured a place in the course for next year (2014). Now I need to pay for it. I've never been very good at asking for help, but here goes. The course of study costs $5,200 to complete, so that is the sum that I'm asking for. It's a lot of money to most people. Given my own recent experience, I probably understand that better than most. But if people have a few dollars here and there that they can spare I would be grateful beyond words. My doctors already saved my life, but you could help me make all their efforts worthwhile.
Details of the course I intend to study can be found here.
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P.S. This is Viggo. He's my friend who gave me a reason to get out of bed on the days when I really thought I couldn't. He may be "just a cat", but I couldn't have made it this far without him. I will be forever grateful for his companionship and affection.
Two years later I am "all clear" as they say (no doctor is ever going to tell you that you're 100% cured). The fact that my older brother is still alive 20 years after his first diagnosis gives me hope that I will follow in his footsteps. But the rest of my life is in tatters. I'm unemployed. Bankrupt. And with my parents deceased and my older brother having a young family to take care of, I have little idea of where else to turn.
My experience as a patient has given me a new perspective on illness and a desire to "give something back". I always wanted to be a veterinarian, but the ship has well and truly sailed on that one. After some research however, I've found that there is a course of study available for veterinary technicians (nurses). Completing it would put me in a position to help animals "“ and their owners "“ in times of difficulty and uncertainty. It would also set me on a path back into the workplace and give me hands-on work experience. Something I haven't had much of over the last two years.
So what's the catch? Well it's a question of money. Having depleted my own financial reserves and trashing my credit history with an unwanted (though necessary) bankruptcy, I'm not in a position to fund the course of study. So that's why I'm here. I'm here to ask anyone who understands what it's like to find yourself in a position you never imagined, and anyone who understands how easy it can be for people to slip through the cracks, and anyone who understands the havoc that an unexpected illness can cause in a person's financial and professional life, to help me to help myself "“ and eventually others.
I've already secured a place in the course for next year (2014). Now I need to pay for it. I've never been very good at asking for help, but here goes. The course of study costs $5,200 to complete, so that is the sum that I'm asking for. It's a lot of money to most people. Given my own recent experience, I probably understand that better than most. But if people have a few dollars here and there that they can spare I would be grateful beyond words. My doctors already saved my life, but you could help me make all their efforts worthwhile.
Details of the course I intend to study can be found here.
P.S. This is Viggo. He's my friend who gave me a reason to get out of bed on the days when I really thought I couldn't. He may be "just a cat", but I couldn't have made it this far without him. I will be forever grateful for his companionship and affection.
Organizer
Daniel Adler
Organizer
Perth WA
