Zoe is a deep feeling and caring person. She likes to talk and go for hikes. She loves art, anime, and gaming. Zoe also likes to volunteer and help others. This girl also adores her cat, Lucius. She has a great laugh. Puns and jokes relating to her gaming can bring it out.
In August of 2012, one week into 7th grade, Zoe was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s Lymphoma. Leading up to her diagnosis, her skin had been itchy and then a lump became visible on both sides of her neck. Her face had also broken out with pimples. Treatment involved chemotherapy, radiation, biopsies, surgeries, and countless pokes and scans. Zoe has side effects from treatment but she is learning how to live with this new normal. She struggles with memory loss, anxiety, depression, and PTSD.
Our family will always be haunted by the cancer. Is it back? Is it a new cancer? It will never end. We just take one day at a time and enjoy every day to its fullest. Together. Like many, I still struggle financially after all of this but Zoe’s health and happiness is what matters most to me. There are things Zoe doesn’t do anymore. She used to play competitive fast pitch softball. It was her life and she had played since she was 5. She says she misses it sometimes but she has also started new things. Zoe has an older brother that was in his senior year of high school when she was diagnosed. It took some attention away from him but he was concerned about his sister too. I tried keeping their worlds separate at the time. I stayed with Zoe, taking care of her and taking her to treatments while I sent Zane off to experience and enjoy his life. We also lost friendships in this process but it only made the three of us that much closer.
Zoe is now in her senior year of high school, turning 18 in March, and reached her 5th year in remission! She will be attending UNLV in the fall. We have a lot to celebrate. Zoe also uses her position within her service organization, the International Order of the Rainbow for Girls, as a platform to spread childhood cancer awareness.
Hope session by Susy Martinez Photography | Facebook