My story
My name is Alexandra O’Brien – but you can call me Allie. At this point, you probably have a good idea of what The Chemo Club is but let me just take this moment to acknowledge why it exists.
I had just graduated from The University of Arizona when my Mom, Andrea, discovered she had cancer. Let me tell you – I will NEVER forget that lifechanging call. It’s funny how to this day (a few years later) how often I replay that memory in my head. Overnight I had gone from this carefree, party loving, just starting life 20 year girl to a caregiver, a chef, a personal driver, an administrative assistant, a pharmacist and a nurse while all still trying to be a daughter and sister to my family. NO ONE CAN PREPARE YOU FOR THIS- and that is what fueled my passion for disrupting this taboo experience. I had NO place to turn to, I felt isolated and alone. Sure, doctors and nurses would give advice but there is a massive disconnect between doctors, patients and their family members. And this is when I started questioning everything:
“Why are there limited resources for chemotherapy patients and their family members? ”
“Why is everything that is chemotherapy related isolated and cold? ”
“Why are we not creating tangible and meaningful relationships with other chemo patients? ”
“Why are we millennials not being influencers for change in this space? ”
I don’t know how to cure cancer and I’m not a doctor – but I am a daughter who went through this experience firsthand and I do know a few tips and tricks that can make the experience you’re going through (hopefully) more manageable and relatable. My dream is that The Chemo Club be your go to source for advice, education but most importantly a community for you to turn to.
Fighting with you, fighting for you and fighting alongside you -
XOXOX,
Allie