Flex Foundation-Inspire By Strength
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On September 16th, 2004 I was diagnosed with Osteosarcoma (Bone Cancer) in my left arm. I was 14 years old and I had just started my freshman year of high school. I was told I'd have to do 9 months of chemotherapy, and 3 months into my treatment I'd have a bone replacement in my left arm.
On December 21st I had my bone replacement surgery and everything went great. I finished my 6 months of chemo on June 5th, 2005 and was in remission. In November of 2005, I got dizzy one night and fell down the stairs and was in a lot of pain. I went to the hospital and found out the cancer returned in my left arm. I was told my arm was too cancerous and that it needed to be amputated.
After my amputation on February 1st, 2006 I was fine and in remission again. 4 months later, in June 2006 I found out that the cancer came back and spread to my lungs. I had a successful surgery and they removed them. 2 months later in August, I had a check-up and found out the tumors returned and were even more aggressive. I discovered that I have 6 tumors on my left lung and 2 tumors on my right lung.
I had surgery to remove them all, but it was unsuccessful. One tumor (the size of a golf ball) is attached to my trachea and when they tried to cut it off I started to bleed a lot. They had to burn the tumor so I wouldn't bleed to death during surgery. When I woke up from surgery, they said that my tumors are inoperable and the only thing they can offer is chemo again.
I told them I'm not doing chemo again and that I'm going to take my chances. Even with the doctors saying the cancer will slowly kill my organs and I will eventually lose my hearing, vision and strength, I wanted to take my chances to live life happy with no treatments.
In September 2007, they found another tumor in the back of my head and I was able to do radiation to remove that, but it killed my hair particles. I also got radiation on my lungs, but it didn't remove any of the tumors. In December of 2007, the doctors told me that I only had 6 months to live. The tumors were not shrinking at all.
It's been 12 years since then and to this day in 2016, I have not had any treatment and my tumors are still there. Some things you just can't explain. You just have to believe, have faith, and hope.
I am looking to start my own foundation to do professional motivational speaking.I want to start a clothing line as well. I feel this is my purpose for life - to help others. I will start my own website, build a clothing brand, have a contact page where anyone can reach out to me and have me share my story and how I am still able to fight cancer through strength and staying positive.
Thank you for taking the time to hear my story. I truly appreciate it. Please help me to not only achieve my dream, but to "Inspire By Strength" and help others to achieve their dreams as well.
Sincerely, Troy
On December 21st I had my bone replacement surgery and everything went great. I finished my 6 months of chemo on June 5th, 2005 and was in remission. In November of 2005, I got dizzy one night and fell down the stairs and was in a lot of pain. I went to the hospital and found out the cancer returned in my left arm. I was told my arm was too cancerous and that it needed to be amputated.
After my amputation on February 1st, 2006 I was fine and in remission again. 4 months later, in June 2006 I found out that the cancer came back and spread to my lungs. I had a successful surgery and they removed them. 2 months later in August, I had a check-up and found out the tumors returned and were even more aggressive. I discovered that I have 6 tumors on my left lung and 2 tumors on my right lung.
I had surgery to remove them all, but it was unsuccessful. One tumor (the size of a golf ball) is attached to my trachea and when they tried to cut it off I started to bleed a lot. They had to burn the tumor so I wouldn't bleed to death during surgery. When I woke up from surgery, they said that my tumors are inoperable and the only thing they can offer is chemo again.
I told them I'm not doing chemo again and that I'm going to take my chances. Even with the doctors saying the cancer will slowly kill my organs and I will eventually lose my hearing, vision and strength, I wanted to take my chances to live life happy with no treatments.
In September 2007, they found another tumor in the back of my head and I was able to do radiation to remove that, but it killed my hair particles. I also got radiation on my lungs, but it didn't remove any of the tumors. In December of 2007, the doctors told me that I only had 6 months to live. The tumors were not shrinking at all.
It's been 12 years since then and to this day in 2016, I have not had any treatment and my tumors are still there. Some things you just can't explain. You just have to believe, have faith, and hope.
I am looking to start my own foundation to do professional motivational speaking.I want to start a clothing line as well. I feel this is my purpose for life - to help others. I will start my own website, build a clothing brand, have a contact page where anyone can reach out to me and have me share my story and how I am still able to fight cancer through strength and staying positive.
Thank you for taking the time to hear my story. I truly appreciate it. Please help me to not only achieve my dream, but to "Inspire By Strength" and help others to achieve their dreams as well.
Sincerely, Troy
Organizer
Troy Edward Druppal
Organizer
Emeryville, CA