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Transitions Magazine

Transitions is published bi-monthly for members of the APhA New Practitioner Network. The online newsletter contains information focused on life inside and outside pharmacy practice, providing guidance on various areas of professional, personal, and practice development. Each issue includes in-depth articles on such topics as personal financial management, innovative practice sites, career profiles, career development tools, residency and postgraduate programs, and more.

In a world full of cancer, positivity is the cure
Jamila Negatu
/ Categories: Student Magazine

In a world full of cancer, positivity is the cure

The UMKC team mobilized for a cause and a friend.

“Sweetie, I have cancer.” These were the words I heard on the other side of the phone on two different occasions throughout my time in pharmacy school. 
 
During the fall semester of my second year as a student pharmacist, my mom was diagnosed with breast cancer. On the day that I was to receive the news, I walked around with a horrible feeling in the pit of my stomach. When I got to work that day, my little sister called to tell me that our parents were acting strange and left to take a drive. At that moment, I knew my mom had received bad news at the physician’s office. Quickly, I called my parents to figure out the news. That day was the first time I heard those words, and I was immediately filled with worry and grief. 
 
Yet, I was confident my mom would be okay because I had known so many other women who had conquered breast cancer. Luckily, my mom was able to beat it with radiation and surgery. However, the following year, I received another phone call. This time was much different because I was 
terrified. 
 

 

What is MDS?

My parents called me on a winter afternoon during the middle of finals week. I drove around the neighborhood, wasting time and letting my mind wander, before walking into the house to tell my roommates that my mom had been diagnosed with myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS). You might be thinking the same thing I was in that moment—what in the world is MDS? MDS is a rare blood disorder where the production of blood cells is disrupted and can eventually turn into leukemia. 
 
When I received this call, the news hit me hard. I was in the middle of my third-year of pharmacy school, serving as APhA–ASP Chapter President at the University of Missouri–Kansas City School of Pharmacy, studying for finals, trying to meet project deadlines, and applying for scholarships. I was not familiar with this disease, the treatment, or its progression. I felt completely lost and scared because this was unknown territory that I wasn’t prepared for. 
 
Fast forward to a few weeks later. It was winter break and I was tossing and turning while thinking about my mom’s new diagnosis. There were many unanswered questions. When would things get really bad? When would she need a bone marrow transplant? Who would be her donor? How could I help her through this process? Finally, it clicked. I grabbed my phone and texted my APhA–ASP Patient Care Vice President and Chapter Advisor. I asked them if our chapter could host a bone marrow registration drive in honor of my mom. Both were extremely supportive of the idea and helped me solidify a plan over the next few weeks. 
 
Throughout the next 2 months, I spent hours talking to the APhA–ASP Chapter Presidents at our satellite campuses, hosting training events, and communicating with DKMS—the national bone marrow registration organization—to plan our events. In late February and early March 2017, our APhA–ASP Chapter hosted four bone marrow registration drives in four different cities across Missouri. Each pharmacy school campus and my hometown were able to host a drive. Through these drives, nearly 300 people were added to the national registry and more than 200,000 people were reached through newspaper articles, a television interview, and national MDS newsletters. 

 

Proud daughter, proud student pharmacist

Since the bone marrow drives last spring, my mom has started taking oral chemotherapy to help suppress the disease, and she has been blessed to be matched with two people—her brother and her sister. There have been good days where she forgets she has a form of cancer and bad days where she visits the emergency department for a potential virus or infection. She recently saw her physician and received news that her blood levels were within normal limits; however, she will continue to take oral chemotherapy because the only cure is a bone marrow transplant. 
 
As a daughter, I am extremely proud of my mom. She beat cancer once and she is now fighting it again. There is nothing I want more than to see her beat cancer again. She remains positive throughout this “life hiccup,” and she works to share her story with others who have similar experiences. She is strong, courageous, and an inspiration to everyone who knows her. I still worry about her, but overall, I am proud of her strength and commitment to remain positive. 
 
As a student pharmacist, I am grateful to be a health professional. I have access to clinical trials and information that others do not. I am able to use the skills I was taught in school to find answers to my questions, which has helped me understand and cope with my mom’s diagnosis. I am also extremely honored to be a part of such a giving pharmacy school and APhA–ASP Chapter. A few close friends and APhA–ASP Executive Committee officers personally know my mom; however, a majority of officers do not know her at all. Yet, every single officer was involved in the bone marrow registration process by volunteering to work a shift, helping to make posters and flyers, or registering as a donor. I could not be more thankful for the team I was blessed to work with last year. 
 

Lessons learned

Through these experiences, I have learned many things. First, it is okay to ask for help. Student pharmacists tend to be very independent people. I used to believe asking for help was a sign of weakness; however, it is actually seen as a strength. I asked my advisors, executive officers, classmates, and friends to help me run a successful bone marrow registration drive. Every person I asked to help did so without question. Without the collaboration of multiple hands and minds, this event would not have been a success and lives would not have been saved. 
 
Second, there is always a way to help those in need. Do you ever feel the urge to help the person who tripped in the hallway, or to carry the groceries for the little old lady in your neighborhood, or take a nice meal to the homeless man on the street corner? If you ever feel the urge to help someone, do it. There is nothing more rewarding than helping someone who is in need but is unable to ask for help. My mom never expected anyone to organize a bone marrow drive for her. And in the end, we were able to help more than just my mom. We potentially helped hundreds of people just like her. A simple urge to help one person can transform into something even bigger. 
 
 
Third, positivity is the key to a successful life. I have seen it with my own eyes by watching my mom live with cancer for 2 years. Positivity is contagious. If you believe it, you start breathing it and eventually you live it. Take something negative, like self-doubt for a tough final exam, and turn the negativity into positivity. I guarantee if you go into your final with a positive attitude and believe in yourself then you will be successful. Try to start practicing positivity and you will be amazed by the transformation it has on your life. 
 

Find a need and fill it

These experiences are close to my heart; however, I did not share this story to gain sympathy. I shared this story to inspire you to take action. At some point in life, you will be thrown a curve ball—maybe a change in your health, your job, your finances, or your family. No matter what the circumstance is, you have the opportunity to make a difference. If you listen to the little urge you feel in the pit of your stomach, you can easily change a negative situation into a more positive one by making a conscious change. 
 
 
Not only will you be thrown life curve balls, but eventually you will be affected by cancer. It could be a patient, co-worker, friend, family, or even you who is diagnosed with cancer. When this happens, I encourage you to find a need and fill it. Maybe you are an amazing cook, so you organize a bake sale to benefit your loved one with cancer. Maybe you are a musician and decide to sponsor a banquet with live music and a silent auction to help pay for your co-worker’s cancer treatments. Maybe you collaborate with a local school to host a bone marrow registration drive to honor your best friend who is similar to my mom and will eventually need a bone marrow transplant. These small gestures mean the world to your patients and loved ones who are hurting. It is vital that you actively work to serve your communities, families, and friends who are suffering from all diseases, including cancer. If you are interested in hosting a bone marrow registration drive on your campus or in your community, visit https://www.dkms.org/en/plan-an-event for more information.
 
 
 
 
Sara Massey is a final-year PharmD candidate at the University of Missouri–Kansas City School of Pharmacy and the 2017–18 Chair of the APhA–ASP Communications Standing Committee.
 
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