“More than anything, I’ve learned it could always be worse.”
This is what Megan Purcell, 21-year-old Georgia College & State University student, had to say about her battle against cancer that began in the summer of 2007.
Her sophomore year in college was quickly approaching and Megan was participating in her sorority’s recruitment on campus when she found out she had leukemia, a cancer of the blood or bone marrow. Recruitment was hectic and she was meeting hundreds of incoming students so quickly, her biggest worry at the time was getting the crazy day of rush over with.
There was no family history of the disease and her overall health was normal. The clue leading up to her diagnosis was a suspicious lump in her breast. After having the lump checked out by her doctor, she was shocked to find out the news that she did not have breast cancer, but her blood work showed signs of something else. It was a confirmed case of leukemia. She and her family and friends were devastated.
During her first CAT scan, a medical test that helps physicians diagnose and treat medical conditions, Megan kept her eyes closed tight. She didn’t want to know what the inside of the large machine looked like.
“I prayed the entire time,” she said. “It was pretty scary to think about what was happening.”
Her quest for recovery began as she was put through numerous rounds of chemotherapy. One of the most inevitable side effects of this treatment set in as she slowly began to lose all her hair.
“Losing my hair made me realize how much people our age focus on how we look. It also made me realize how people treat you differently when you don’t look like everyone else. After I went bald, I finally started to not care about having hair. It was kind of a relief when it was finally all gone.”
Megan needed a bone marrow transplant; luckily her sister was a match. This was an obstacle that was tough to overcome, but they got through it together. The transplant was painful, but her family was always by her side to support her.
As a college student, Megan missed out on spending time with her closest friends and wished she could be with her sorority sisters more often. One of her most memorable times in the hospital was her 21st birthday celebration. It was not typical, but special to her. The nurses and doctors at Emory University Hospital did what they could to make it as normal as possible.
“I was lying in bed when I got a cold Budweiser beer from the pharmacy in the hospital. It was so funny because it had a pharmacy label on it.”
Megan has been in remission since February and is currently weaning herself off of the steroids she was taking after the bone marrow transplant. In December she will have a 9 months test update that will let her know where she stands.
“I’m not looking forward to the test because it’s going to be so nerve-racking, but I’m hopeful about the results,” Megan said. “More than anything this has made me appreciate the time I do have with my family; this has made us all so much closer.”
