Alex lives his life the best he can in the face of his cancer diagnosis at such a young age. He lost his own father to cancer, making this cancer journey even more challenging.

Alex is determined to graduate college and moved back home upon his diagnosis to begin virtual school. His mom is beside him every step of the way.

Ule has been in continuous treatment for cancer since 2016 and has undergone multiple rounds of surgery, chemotherapy and radiation.

Throughout his cancer journey, he has remained positive, speaking at cancer support groups and inspiring those newly diagnosed.

Amy’s oncology team at UPMC Hillman Cancer Center in Erie, PA shared that her pancreatic cancer diagnosis causes emotional turbulence. An uncertain future has left her feeling overwhelmed and stressed, wanting to make the most of time with her caregiver who has supported her through so many challenging times.

With two children to care for, Dawn’s husband has been the backbone through her cancer journey and she believes he, too, deserves the gift of respite.

Being the lead parent for soccer, carpooling, and grocery shopping is one thing, but as the primary caregiver, Dawn’s husband also puts her needs first. Dawn longed to give her family a break and the time to reconnect on respite.

Tehmina shared that her FPS Respite is provided something no medical treatment can – a feeling of HOPE! She was excited for her family to meet others in a similar situation and to join the greater FPS community.

Tehmina passed away months after her family’s respite, making this time together all the more meaningful.

Peter has been told that he has two years to live. Diagnosed with stage IV colorectal cancer when he was only 44 years old, he underwent three months of chemotherapy and 25 treatments of radiation.

Peter married his fiance only 3 months after his treatment started and his biggest worry is the idea of leaving her too early.

Antoinette was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2021 and underwent one year of treatment. In 2022, she was diagnosed with multiple myeloma and had to restart chemotherapy. Financial challenges weighed heavily on her mind and gave her little opportunity to focus on herself and give her family any special time together.

After two long years, her treatment team understood the need for respite to improve Antoinette’s family health.

Jacob was diagnosed with Stage IIB Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma in June 2022. Jacob’s oncology team nominated him for respite to give his family a well-deserved opportunity to enjoy time away and make memories together.

Jacob now has a renewed purpose as an Oncology Nurse and can provide a unique insight into the patient experience. And is thankful for the connection he can give to others facing cancer.