Finding normalcy as a teenager with cancer (Nicole’s story)

March 1, 2011

In this video, Nicole talks about being diagnosed with non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma at the age of 16 and how she coped with cancer as a teenager

Watch as Nicole talks about having non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma at the age of 16 and what it was like trying to find some normalcy as a teenager, while going through chemo and radiation. Nicole shares how traumatic it was for her to lose her hair.

She also shares ideas for teenagers to cope with cancer. Now when she faces challenges, she remembers all those months of sickness. She reminds herself that she can get through anything.

Nicole is 20-years-old and a fashion student at university in Toronto, living away from her home in Eganville, Ontario for the first time.

The doctor said that if you’re going to have cancer, this is the one to have. Because it’s the most curable, and I guess that’s supposed to make you feel better. But cancer is cancer and it takes its toll on anyone.

When I was losing my hair, people would say, it’s only your hair you know, it’s going to grow back. Until people have gone through that, they can’t really say what it’s like because they don’t know until it happens to them.

Watch the video of Nicole talking about coping with cancer as a teenager

The Canadian Partnership Against Cancer works with our partners to make sure adolescents and young adults (AYA) who are either living with or are survivors of cancer as children, adolescents or young adults, experience improved outcomes and quality of life. Our goal is to deliver quick, equal access to the best care both during and after cancer treatment. That care should be based on education and research to improve health outcomes and quality of life, and to eliminate current disparities around AYA cancer care.

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