Diana M.

  • Grand expedition
  • I speak english
  • 37 years old
  • Group: 14 to 18 years old
  • When I took part in the expedition, I was: in remission
  • Washington DC

Expeditions

Diagnosis

Stage 3B recurrent Hodgkin lymphoma.

Why did you choose to take part in an expedition with the foundation?

Because I didn’t want to feel sick and act like a sick child. I wanted to feel like a normal teenager again and experience new adventures. I wanted to prove to myself that I was more than my cancer and more than a person with cancer.

What were you fears or doubts before you jumped into the adventure?

Yes, mostly about whether i would have the energy to be able to endure the entire adventure! I was also concerned with the low temperatures that we were going to experience, and the potential risks of feeling ill during the trip.

What memories and benefits did you bring back home?

Oh! I loved my time on the expedition and have so many amazing memories of all that we were able to accomplish. From operating ski-doos at 40 below zero where all you could see was snow, to being welcomed by the Waskaganish community as heroes into their town. Of course, the people met on the trip was another thing that I will hold dearly. Some of my fellow expedition-mates are no longer with us, but their faces and laughter remain in my memory.