Meet Angela

I am Angela, a 24 year-old living in the hustle and bustle of New York City. Curious, ambitious,

and active (both physically and mentally), I never expected that cancer would knock on my door

and decided to stay uninvited for at least a while.

It all started in late January 2024, when I had a sudden but seemingly innocuous headache. The

headache soon evolved into a sharp pain in my right eye. Realizing that Tylenol didn’t solve the

problem, I finally set up appointments with multiple doctors and surgeons. My MRI results came

out: There are two lesions in the right side of my head, infiltrating bone structures and disturbing

important organs.

Everything happened so fast - three surgeries in three months, the most one left me with a

single eye and a partially disfigured face. The diagnosis was chondroblastic osteosarcoma, a

rare type of sarcoma.

While discussing subsequent radiation and chemotherapy treatment plans with my medical

team, I learned about the importance of fertility preservation through egg freezing. Having my

own children is a dream of mine, but I was taken aback as I was told the cost of one egg

freezing cycle, which also isn’t covered by my insurance.

This is why I am so glad that Team Maggie’s Dream is willing to step in and help. What this

organization has given me isn’t merely financial support - but also a feeling that I am not alone

and that this is a battle worth fighting.

If you were to ask me what I have learned along this journey so far, I would like to share a piece

of wisdom shared by one of my favorite friends (who is also a cancer survivor): “There are

blessings in every day. Some are big; some are small. You just have to see them.”

Take it one step at a time and try to find small moments of joy in life.