Hello, my name is Angel Phan, and I am 19 years old - I'll be turning 20 this coming November. My preferred name is Arden and I'm currently studying to teach secondary education, focusing on English/Speech/Theatre. I have two siblings and I am the first kid to go to college. In 2016, I had gotten sick with the flu, which made my thyroid glands enlarge in my throat - what seemed odd was that after I was done being sick, they continued to be inflamed. Since then, every year, I've gotten ultrasounds and bloodwork done on myself, to ensure my thyroid glands stay the appropriate size. However, in December 2024, they informed me that my left thyroid gland had continued to grow, thus becoming concerning, and scheduled me for a fine needle aspiration (FNA) in March of 2024. Once the time rolled around, they drew tissue from the area and sent it off for testing. At the time, I thought nothing of it. Genuinely, I thought it was some random test they wanted to give me, the same as all those other ultrasounds and blood draws. On March 7, 2024, I sat in my car, waiting with my siblings to get boba. I received a call from my doctor, which was odd, considering they had told me I would get my results a week or so later, rather than the day after my appointment. I remember how my blood ran cold as my doctor uttered the words: "You tested positive for cancer." I lost my uncle in June 2024 due to lung cancer, which made me afraid. And when I heard that I had tested positive for cancer, I could feel all my anxieties and worries come rushing to me; and I broke down in my car. I couldn't breathe. All I could think about was how unfortunate I was with this diagnosis and how I thought I was going to die. I went home and cried to my family. My lungs hurt from sobbing, from so much worry, because my family too was scared of the word "cancer". I couldn't help but think, "Why me"? Then, on April 27, 2024, I got surgery to remove the cancerous left thyroid gland. During surgery, they tested the lymph nodes on my right side and found that the cancer had spread. As a result, they had to remove my entire thyroid. Due to the lack of thyroid, I've been extremely fatigued, behaving differently than I used to before my diagnosis. I grew anxious, depressed, and reclusive. I still am struggling. My cancer is not fatal but it's a chronic illness that I have to deal with for the rest of my life. It comes at an expensive cost, leaving a toll on my parents and myself. Please, donate as much as you can to support my cause. I have a dream to graduate from college, with a degree in teaching, living cancer-free.
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