I feel pretty good today, hopeful because I have a job interview on Wednesday with the Starlight Children's Foundation; a non-profit for children with life-threatening illnesses.

Well, I was five years old when I was diagnosed so I guess everything in my life has changed and will change.

I had just finished an internship with the American Cancer Society. I helped with the Daffodil Days program. I have also been volunteering with the American Cancer Society Hope Lodge in Boston for a year and a half where I help with office/ receptionist work, work on housekeeping/ organizational tasks, check-out guests upon departure, give tours, train new volunteers, and manage groups of college students who come to volunteer. I am also the Advocacy Chair for the Relay For Life of Boston.

I'm in a part-time job I don't enjoy and I graduated from college last May and I have a very hard time finding full-time work. And I love my parents and everything but, I'm 25 years old, I need to move out and be independent but, that's not happening because I can't get full time work.

I think the psychosocial issues have been the most challenging thing for me. When I was diagnosed people in school could not deal with the fact that one of the kids has cancer. The adults were afraid of me which led my peers (and we all know that children model adults, especially adults in authority) to be afraid of me too. I spent 7 very isolated years in public school until I was transferred to a school for students with learning disabilities (thank God) because the chemo caused moderate to severe brain damage. If it weren't for that special ed school, I would have never gone to college.

My friends who are also cancer survivors, and my friends who aren't cancer survivors too, and my parents.

I've only been alive for 25 years, so I don't really know the answer to this question.

I work at the American Red Cross 16 hours a week Thursdays 5-9, Saturdays 10-2, and Sundays 2-8.