From a journal Alex began after her cancer diagnosis.

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Cancer. What is the first thing you think of when you hear this word that provokes so many reactions?

Maybe you have known and loved an individual who battled this disease. Maybe you have been diagnosed yourself and are looking for insight into another individual’s life similar to your own.

Then there are people who, thankfully, have never encountered anyone with cancer. I’m sure you imagine it as what you see on television, or in other forms of media. I did. I was once one of you.

I am here to put it all down on paper—all of the twisted thoughts, the roller coaster of emotions and the relationships both good and bad.

I want to write about my experiences—the uphill battles, the words swarming like bees in my head every night when I try to sleep, but cannot, regardless of how exhausted or sick I may be.

Despite the chaotic storm in my head, I believe the aftermath will tell a beautiful story—a story of combat, a story of love and heartbreak, a story of life lessons, a story of internal strength, a story of independence, and a story I hope is unique to those you’ve heard before.

As the 90s alternative rock band Nine Days would say, “This is a story of a girl.”

I enjoy things that every college kid enjoys. I’ve spent my time going to organized social events and nights out at the bar, possibly not to be recalled the next day.

I was reckless. I was reckless, but I was smart.

I also enjoyed some things college students don’t enjoy.

I am enthusiastic and engaged with my schoolwork. Studying is actually an outlet of stress for me. I am passionate.

I am a part-time employee at a veterinary clinic in Hyattsville. I looked forward to every day I went to work. I genuinely loved working there.

And I balanced it—the chaos of drinking and partying, the intensity of high-level college classes and the commitment to my co-workers and boss. I learned how to do college—well.

I couldn’t sit and tolerate this pain. I couldn’t go about my day. I couldn’t move. I couldn’t even think. I could only focus on the pain.

This happened three times in six months. I was growing anxious, but not once did cancer cross my mind.

I truly believed that nothing that bad could ever happen to me.

Then, in January of 2016, I was diagnosed with bone cancer—more specifically, metastatic Ewing’s Sarcoma.

Ewing’s is a rare type of pediatric cancer that mostly affects children and adolescents. It is a type of tumor that forms in bone or soft tissue.

Ewing’s can be found many places, but oftentimes it appears in one of the limbs. My cancer was in my left femur. For those of you who aren’t familiar with anatomy, that would be the thigh bone that attaches at your hip.

The word metastatic is used when the cancer is present in more than one place in the body. Mine had travelled to my left lung. It was just one small nodule, but that was enough to completely change the severity of the cancer. Each case of Ewing’s is unique and must be treated that way.

It was January of 2016 and it was confirmed.

I was living with cancer.

Welcome to my life.

Mitch and Dakota are participating in the Million Mile this month in Alex’s memory. They are raising funds for childhood cancer research so Alex’s story doesn’t have to be someone else’s story.

You can donate here.

All donations are matched by Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation.