StayStrong.

Since being diagnosed with Leukemia in February of 2010, my dad has kept a caringbridge site for anyone who wants to follow my story. I thought it was about time that I created my own blog for people to read my own thoughts and ideas. For those of you who don't know my story..here we go. I am Devin Duncan. I was diagnosed with Leukemia for the first time in 1996 when I was three years old. I underwent two and a half years of chemotherapy and after that first battle, I thought I was done. After being in remission for thirteen years, I was diagnosed with cancer again, like I said, in February of 2010. I am currently toward the end of another two and a half year treatment that was much more aggressive. It hasn't been easy by any means. I've had pain, sickness, weakness, felt down, gotten to the point of wanting to give up, made friends, lost friends, etc. But throughout all of that I managed to keep a smile on my face. People ask me all the time how I do it and honestly, I don't know. Keeping a positive attitude is something that you have to constantly work at, every day. I know one thing that helps me is realizing that no matter what i'm going through..there is someone out there going through something much worse. I know that because i've seen it up close. I go to a hospital that has 36 rooms on the cancer floor. That's 36 stories, 36 battles, most importantly 36 children fighting for their lives. Especially as one of the older children on the floor, it is hard to see other kids suffer through the same thing you are going through. Anyone with cancer would tell you, we would NEVER wish this upon anyone. So to witness it first hand definitely puts your life into perspective.

There is no greater feeling than being told that you have inspired someone. I hear it all the time and it never gets old because it makes me feel so great about myself and helps me through my cancer journey. One person who inspires me is Demi Lovato. I was watching her "Stay Strong" documentary on MTV tonight (if you haven't watched it you should) and I was so inspired to know that she has struggles too. She has always been a role model for me but even more so now. At her Houston concert that I went to she pulled a little girl with cancer onto the stage and let her sing with her. At the time I thought it was sweet, but after seeing it on the documentary I was blown away with how kind the gesture was. Demi had been having a bad day and facing some of her own personal demons that week when she originally met this little girl in a meet and greet. The little girl told Demi that she had inspired her to go to the concert without her wig on that day. Demi smiled politely and wished the girl luck as she walked out and then began to cry. That little girl may have been going through what I know to be one of the toughest battles that there is and Demi was so moved to know she had inspired her and helped her get through it. Seeing this gave me an idea..

For a while I have been thinking of possible things that I can do for TCH, the hospital I go to, to stay involved even after I am not a patient anymore. I've realized for a while that it seems like teenagers don't get quite as much attention as the little kids in the clinic and in the hospital. Nothing that is on purpose because the staff and doctors there are beyond supportive and amazing, but maybe because they don't know exactly what the teenagers need.

Cancer is a VERY scary thing. No matter who you are, how brave you, or how positive you are, there are times when you are just flat out scared. So why not have a teenagers support group where we can all get together and talk about things that really nobody else can understand but us? The changes in a normal teenagers life can be stressful, but add cancer on top of that and it can be an extremely tough situation. Sure, friends are there in the beginning..but as the newness wears away, so does the endless support. I think it's time for TCH to have a safe place for teenagers to just hang out, take their wigs off, feel normal again, and be able to talk about the deep things that we can't talk about with other people because they don't quite understand.

Just a thought. I have many of those and I will continue to get them all out on this blog. Please comment and let me know what you all think of the idea!

"You never know how strong you are, until being strong is the only choice you have"
StayStrong.