Essay Sample on The Story of Tori Degen

Introduction

In life, heroes exist in different forms. This is the story of a young hero who has saved many lives through her inspirational story and projects. Tori Degen is a young cancer survivor who has survived the disease twice. Her story begins back in the eighth grade when she realized that her stomach was becoming bigger. At first, her parents did not think much of it but soon her stomach was severely swollen, and that's when they realized that there was a serious problem. Degen was a very active young girl who enjoyed having fun with her friends at home and school and always busy as a bee. However, when the large mass began to grow, there was a need to determine what was happening in her body.

Is your time best spent reading someone else’s essay? Get a 100% original essay FROM A CERTIFIED WRITER!

Save 25%

The months that followed would be life-changing after she was diagnosed with a rare form of Ovarian Cancer that only manifested in adolescent teens. During that time, surgery was done to remove a large tumor that was growing in her stomach. Like most cancer patients, this particular procedure changed her body physically and emotionally. She began going for chemotherapy for as almost three months and subsequent tests after that to determine the existence of cancer.

During her time in the hospital, Tori was very weak from the treatments she was undergoing, and she could no longer play soccer given the fact that she was slowly becoming as skinny as a toothpick. She indicates that nothing meant the world to her more than soccer. Cancer dramatically changed the life of this young lady when she was just fourteen years old. In the summer of 2001, Degen had planned to go to Mexico for surfing and enjoying the bloop and splash of the water. Instead, she spent her entire holiday in hospital having rounds of chemotherapy.

The tests that followed indicated that she was free of cancer. Everyone around her was happy and hopeful that she was healed. During her time in the hospital, she watched various soccer tapes that helped her get through the treatment positively. For another year and a half, everything was okay, and her life was getting back to normal.

Going back to school felt different given the fact that she had no hair on her face. Many of the students in her school did not recognize her. However, soon enough her hair grew back and so did her confidence. She attributes this to the friends and family she had during that period - people who made her feel comfortable in her new look. At that time, her recovery was mainly based on the people that surrounded her and showed support.

After a few years, while in high school, Degen was called in for more tests that revealed that she needed another surgery because she had something else growing in her uterus. Eventually, she had to have a hysterectomy. Unlike previous procedures she underwent in middle school, this particular one was different because she was self-aware and felt the pressure of realizing that she would never have the privilege of having her own children.

For most people, the news would take them by surprise, and such a realization can be difficult, and one might need a lot of time to adapt to such a significant change. Although it was difficult to understand at first, she soon came to understand that this was something the doctors needed to do to keep her alive and healthy. She has since moved on and even has a dream of one-day adopting children.

She also had a chance to visit the Mia Hamm in San Diego and the US Women's National Soccer Team courtesy of the Make-A-Wish Foundation. Mia was Tori's idol in soccer and considered herself her biggest fan. Like other friends Tori had come across, Mia was nice, caring and funny and even made a video for her doing a 'sidekick dance.'

Tori later finished high school and joined California State University at Fullerton where she graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in communications, majoring in public relations in the year 2010. She spends much of her time helping her community under the Make-A-Wish Foundation. She started as a volunteer in the organization, went on to be an intern there and was finally offered a full-time position as a Medical Outreach Coordinator.

This position involves working with doctors, nurses, and social workers to ensure that the make a wish process is smooth. She has also worked as a public relations and marketing intern in the same foundations. She has also traveled to other countries in Europe to have a better understanding of different cultures.

Tori has become an inspiration for so many people both young and old for not just surviving cancer twice as a young person but keeping positive energy throughout the entire process. She has held several fundraising events as well as public speaking under the Make-A-Wish foundation. All her efforts in the organization are aimed at allowing others to have dreams and hopes just like she did. Her dream came true, and she feels like it is her turn to make other people's dreams come true. She has also helped people that are going through cancer treatment in the form of chemotherapy or any other form of cancer treatment.

Every year, Tori and the Make-A-Wish Foundation come up with public speaking seminars and fundraising events that help raise money for cancer patients. For Tori, there is no greater joy than seeing cancer patients smile and have their hopes and dreams revived. She has over the years she has developed an interest in helping children with cancer where she encourages them and their families. She is very helpful and encouraging to people who have given up on life after being diagnosed with cancer. She continues to encourage children not to give up on their hopes and dreams. Many children look up to her and admire her attitude towards life. Some that had lost hope can now wake up with a different attitude towards life. She believes that no one going through cancer should wander lonely as a cloud.

Tori story changed from that of a happy young girl who enjoyed playing soccer to that of a cancer survivor. She says that ever since she joined the Make-A-Wish Foundation, she has had life-changing experiences that have made her stronger and want to give back to those who have gone through the same experiences as she has or worse. Those who have been around her indicate that they had never seen Tori sad even when she was going through a very difficult period in her life. She would always manage a giggle even when in pain.

Despite going through various tests, surgeries, treatments, and scars, Tori has managed to be very optimistic and positive. She says that it came to a point when she began to accept things as they were with the assurance that although difficult times were present, they would not last forever. This attitude not only helped her through those difficult situations but it also helped improve the attitude of the people that were around her. Facing life with a smile on your face and maintaining a positive attitude are some of the things Tori encourages people to do even during difficult times.

She is an inspiring female figure and a hero to many because of her courage and bravery like that of a lion throughout her entire experiences. She is also a good role model for many young people out there because she managed to bite the bullet and make the most out of every experience including her time in the hospital. She continues to light up the world for more people by actively being involved in her community.

To other people, she is a hero because of her confidence to share her story with the rest of the world a million times. She has mentored other young people who would like to get involved in public speaking. In her various seminars, she also talks about the value of education given the fact that she managed to join college even after going through surgeries and treatments while in school.

Conclusion

Tori Degen is a true hero, a true role model and a blessing in disguise. Her life's story is one that should be admired and imitated. Such individuals help make the planet a better place for everyone by encouraging and caring for those around them. Her entire story is a phenomenon, especially because most of these occurrences occurred when she was still very young. Also, she was able to maintain a positive attitude throughout that difficult period. A battle with cancer is considered to be very difficult, and survivors such as Tori who have dedicated their lives to serving others doing a tightrope walk with cancer are true heroes.