From Patient to Professional: EJ Beck’s Journey Through Cancer and Beyond
Childhood memories often carry the essence of innocence and joy, but for EJ Beck, they also include a battle with thyroid cancer at age 10. This diagnosis marked the beginning of a challenging journey, marked by solitude and resilience. Her story is emblematic of the broader advances in cancer survival and the lingering aftereffects that many survivors face.
Beck family; José A. Alvarado Jr. for NPR
As a child, Beck was an avid reader, but her life took a sharp turn when she underwent surgery and radiation treatment, leading to days of isolation in a hospital room. “I was so, so jealous because Spiderman could just leave the hospital, and I couldn’t,” she recalls. The experience left her grappling with feelings of sickness, loneliness, and a yearning for normalcy.
Today, Beck is among the 18 million cancer survivors in the U.S., benefiting from technological and medical advances. Notably, pediatric cancer survival rates have improved significantly, rising from 58% in the 1970s to 85% today. However, the journey to recovery is complex, encompassing more than physical healing.
Beck’s transition back to normal life was fraught with challenges, including missed educational opportunities and social isolation. These aftereffects are common among cancer survivors and can impact mental health and financial stability. Beck, who now lives near the New York City hospital where she was treated, continues to feel the echoes of her experience.
Rebuilding Life Post-Treatment
For Beck, regaining her footing involved overcoming the educational and social disruptions caused by her illness. Despite being cancer-free, she describes feeling out of sync with peers. “It takes a really long time to feel like you’re falling into sync with everybody else,” she says. The journey back to normalcy was a gradual process.
Efforts to better support young patients during and after treatment are growing, with educational coordinators like Julia Gomez at NYU Langone Health helping bridge the gap between hospital and school. Gomez emphasizes the importance of maintaining educational continuity for young patients.
A New Perspective
Beck’s journey is not unique. Brendan Harley, who faced leukemia as a teenager, also experienced an abrupt departure from normal life. In 1995, he was hospitalized the night before his SAT exams. Isolated from friends and school, Harley relied on family support to stay connected to academia.
Harley family
Both Beck and Harley have turned their experiences into motivation for their careers. Beck is now a medical student at NYU Langone, the same hospital where she was treated. Harley, a biochemical engineer, works on developing better tumor models to enhance cancer treatment. Their stories highlight the transformative power of their experiences.
As Beck continues her journey, she reflects on her past with gratitude and determination. “It helped me understand people’s pain more and gave me a mission to become a physician who gives back to a field that’s given me so much,” she shares.
Original photography by José A. Alvarado Jr. Visuals design and editing by Katie Hayes Luke. Audio and digital story edited by Diane Webber.
This article was originally written by www.npr.org
