Hi, my name is Divanny, and I never imagined I’d be sharing something like this.

A few weeks ago, I began experiencing intense chest pain and overwhelming fatigue, the kind that made it difficult to breathe and get through a normal day. Everything changed the day I went in for a routine chest X-ray required for clinical clearance.

Instead of a normal results, the scan revealed a mediastinal mass about the size of an egg pressing against my heart and my lungs.

Within days, I was diagnosed with aggressive B-cell Non-Hodgkin lymphoma. At 23 years old, I went from preparing to care for patients to becoming one.

I am now undergoing chemotherapy while doing everything I can to stay enrolled in PA school. Chemo has been physically and emotionally overwhelming. The side effects, pain, exhaustion, trouble eating or sleeping, and the fear of the unknown have all been incredibly heavy. But I’m holding tightly onto my dream of becoming a Physician Assistant.

The hardest part, aside from the diagnosis itself, has been the financial strain. Because of school and chemotherapy, I’m unable to work, and my expenses are piling up including medical bills, PA school tuition, and basic living costs. I’m doing my best to stay in school, but I can’t carry all of this alone.

Asking for help does not come easily to me. But I’m fighting for my health, my education, and the future I’ve dreamed of, a future where I get to be the provider who shows up for patients the way my medical team and the kindness of others are showing up for me.

My experiences as both a patient and a future provider have shown me that medicine is so much more than treating an illness — it’s compassion, presence, and helping people feel seen in their most vulnerable moments. That is the kind of PA I hope to become one day.

If you’re able to donate, it would mean more than I can express.

Your support will help cover:

And if you’re not able to donate, simply sharing my story helps more than you know.

Thank you for standing with me during the most painful, frightening, and uncertain moment of my life. Your love, support, and generosity are helping me stay focused on healing and on the future provider I’m fighting to be.

With love and gratitude,

Divanny

For anyone who wants to stay connected or see more of my story, my TikTok can be found here.