What Cancer Schmancer Means to Me - Cierra Townsend

Cierra Townsend, 18, Washington D.C. - Runner-Up

 I first discovered Fran on of course, “The Nanny.” (My five-year-old sister and I watched every night!) When we finished watching every single episode of “The Nanny” I was very interested in what Fran was doing next. I had heard she had cancer, beat it and had become an activist. Her story hit me very close to home.

Although I have never had cancer, my Nanny died of cancer of the esophagus when I was 12. (My nanny is what we called my grandma) My Nanny was an older woman and had other medical issues, but toward the end of her life she became very sick. The doctors ran some test and misdiagnosed her three times. By the time they ran the right tests and detected the cancer, two years had gone by and it was too late. The surgery was not successful. I am very saddened not only that the doctors didn’t save her, but also that my little sister was born a year after our Nanny died and she didn’t get to meet her.

My Nanny didn’t get to see me graduate high school and go to college. I am the first person in my family to go to college and I know she would have been so proud of me. If the doctors would have diagnosed her correctly she might still be here with me today.

So when I heard about Cancer Schmancer and detecting cancer early, I immediately wanted to get involved. I tell everyone I know about the movement and encourage everyone to join so they can be empowered. Cancer Schmancer means the world to me. I wish I would have been aware of things like detecting cancer in early when I was younger. I often think about my Nanny and wish I had asked more questions. Now, I am able to be educated and help my friends, family and community learn about their health and do what they can so they can live long lives.

I am a Women’s Studies major and I aspire to be an OB/GYN someday, so women’s health is very important to me. I come from a community where women and children have a hard time getting health care. My mother is single parent who raised my three siblings and I on her own. I know what it feels like be afraid of getting sick because you know you won’t be able to go see the doctor or you want to save the co-pay money for your younger siblings. So I want to become an OB/GN and help mothers and daughters just like other women have helped me.

I am so inspired by the work Cancer Schmancer does; by taking a different approach and applying it in such a positive way to continue to help women all across the world take control of their bodies.
That is what Cancer Schmancer means to me.