At the age of 15 years older, I was affected by cancer during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. I was diagnosed with stage 2A Hodgkin's Lymphoma cancer in my chest that was 13 cm long, pressing on my heart and lungs. I have many family members who've been affected and are affected by cancer as well. I have undergone four rounds of chemotherapy at SickKids Hospital and 2 weeks of radiation at Princess Margaret Cancer Centre in Toronto, Ontario. I lost all of my hair, something I was most proud of and scared of losing. I had to stop the sport I loved playing most and put school on hold, while fighting for my life during a global pandemic. I could not come in close contact with family memebers, and most of the time I had to fight alone in the hospital due to the restrictions placed for COVID-19. I had countless needle pokes and endless tears. I am now 3 years cancer free and I hope to remain cancer free for the rest of my life. This is just a glimpse of my story. We all know cancer is not something that is nice to have and experience, thus I want to raise awareness. 

Please help me reach my fundraising goal for Relay For Life. It doesn’t matter how small the step, it makes a difference. Not only for those living with cancer now, but for those remembering and honouring those we’ve lost and for the cancer survivors out there. 

Allyssa Tassone :)