The Merits of the Case

As impossible as it may seem, there are some benefits to a cancer diagnosis. One is the unexpected result of facing death square in the face, which I will write about in the future. Another benefit, and one which I didn’t expect, is the amazing people that have come into my life because of this diagnosis.

There are actually so many new and wonderful people who have come into my life since I first found the lump back in April that I could probably never name them all. I hope to be able to introduce you to some of the through this blog and today I will start with two.

Alison is another young breast cancer survivor. I met Alison through a mutual friend, Mieke. As soon as Mieke found out about my diagnosis she sent my contact information to Alison, who contacted me immediately with amazing words of encouragement and support. Mieke lives in California, I live in Chicago, and Alison lives in South Carolina, and yet thanks to the wonders of this modern age we have all been able to connect with one another despite the thousands of geographical miles between us.

You’ve seen Alison’s presence in the comments here, but that is just a mere sampling of her presence in my life. She sends me e-mails several times a week and contacts me before every procedure and doctor’s appointment to tell me she is thinking about me. She has described her cancer and radiation experience to me in great detail, sharing what I know are intimate and sometimes painful memories in order to help me know what to expect and to know that I am not alone. We have never met in person and we have never spoken on the phone, and yet she has made a big difference in my life. This is a testament to the power of the Internet, of course, but it’s even more of a testament to the kind of person Alison is.

After I posted the story about my Save the Ta-ta’s t-shirt, Alison clicked over to the website and bought a t-shirt of her own. She sent me the picture a few days ago accompanied by the simple sentiment, "I'm behind you!.” I asked her if I could share the picture with you. So without further ado, I’d like you to meet my friend Alison.

The other person I’d like you to know about is actually two people—Andy DeYoe and Jon Imerman. During my second week of class this summer, just after my lumpectomy and breast cancer diagnosis, I sat down in the seat that I had chosen during the first week of class and looked at the back of the classmate sitting in front of me. He was wearing a t-shirt with the words “One-on-One Cancer Support” and a website address printed on the back and a yellow LiveStrong bracelet on his wrist. I approached him after class that evening and asked him if he knew someone with cancer. As it turned out, he did indeed know someone with cancer—himself. Andy is a thyroid cancer survivor and is involved with an organization called Imerman Angels.

I had previously met Andy at orientation during his very first week of law school last fall and I had seen him in the halls around school from time to time since then, but I had never spoken with him extensively before and I didn’t really know anything about him. That changed that evening. Andy was kind and supportive and understanding as he told me a little bit about his story and a lot about Imerman Angels. I am still astounded at the fact that of the one hundred seats available in our Evidence class room, we chose to sit in the two seats that put Andy and Imerman Angels right in front of me at a time when I needed them most.

Jon Imerman, a testicular cancer survivor, came up with the idea of Imerman Angels during his fight with cancer. He struggled with the fact that he had a hard time finding other cancer patients and survivors who were like him—he was only 26 when he was diagnosed—and he decided to do something about it. Imerman Angels makes sure that cancer fighters don’t experience the sense of isolation and loneliness that often accompanies a cancer diagnosis by pairing up cancer survivors and cancer fighters with other people who are the same age and have similar life experiences and who have experienced the same kind of cancer.

I had the great pleasure of meeting Jon Imerman in person a few weeks ago. We got together to talk about my experience and my situation and I found a dynamic, passionate man who has devoted himself to easing the experience of other cancer fighters through support and understanding. He paired me up with a breast cancer survivor from his network who knows precisely what I am thinking and feeling and experiencing right now because she is a mother and is my age. His organization is needed and welcomed by cancer fighters of all ages and I feel so lucky to have discovered it. I have posted a permanent link to the Imerman Angels website over in the sidebar on the right.