Student Achievement

癌症幸存者到一级女篮:阿曼达·芝诺24用她不屈不挠的精神和决心激励他人

Michelle Eggink,内容营销助理总监 & Communications
Amanda Zeno ’24 in her #0 Marist uniform. Photo by Nelson Echeverria/Marist College.
 

2023年10月30日—这是一个bet亚洲365欢迎投注毅力、韧性、力量和目标的惊人故事. 24岁的学生运动员阿曼达·芝诺克服了一种罕见的癌症诊断的挑战, 在玛丽斯特大学大三的时候,她以替补队员的身份进入了一级女子篮球队, 现在正准备成为一名医生助理.

阿曼达的经历显示了不屈不挠的精神和决心的力量. 除了她的坚毅和坚韧之外,她还有一颗宽广的心和坚强的意志. 目前在北达奇斯医院实习,担任病人护理技术员, 阿曼达改变人生的经历激发了她成为一名医师助理的热情, specializing in pediatric cancer.

“我想成为一名儿科肿瘤学助理,而不仅仅是告诉孩子们他们可以变得更好, 而是要告诉他们,自从我站在他们的立场上以来,这是可能的,” Amanda said. “My family, friends, medical team, 和社区的一切都是不可思议的,所以我计划为孩子们提供同样程度的支持和鼓励.”

 


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他是一名出色的球员,也是福尔斯堡高中的毕业生代表, about 50 miles from Marist, Amanda was racking up athletic accolades as a 1,000-point scorer. 然而,在2019年,她开始注意到不寻常的症状.

“在一场业余运动联盟的比赛后,我的脸完全破了, my lymph nodes were swollen, I could barely breathe, and it was scary how tired I was,” she said. “我一直在努力参加比赛,但最后我不得不告诉教练我要昏倒了. 我想向招聘人员展示我可以打球,但我的身体不行.”

阿曼达缩短了比赛,直接去了医院,在那里她被诊断为急性髓性白血病(AML)。, 一种罕见的癌症,起源于骨髓的造血细胞.

On average, only 29.5%的患者在确诊后存活5年.

“When I was in remission after chemotherapy, I found out I needed a bone marrow transplant, which I received from my dad,” said Amanda. “Due to complications after the transplant, I had to spend about a year in the hospital, celebrating my graduation in the hospital lobby.”

During her recovery, a nurse encouraged her to research Marist, 阿曼达选择哪所学校是因为学校离家近, its science program, and its Division I women’s basketball team.

While her playing career continued to wait, Amanda excelled in her classes at Marist, 作为一名主修生物医学,辅修心理学的学生,学习具有挑战性的科学课程. 尽管化疗后她的健康之旅起起伏伏, 阿曼达决定在大三的时候参加篮球队的选拔, and succeeded.

Image of Amanda practicing in the McCann Arena.

Amanda practicing in the McCann Arena. Photo by Nelson Echeverria/Marist College.

“当决定参加球队选拔时,我想上帝保佑我不会再生病了, I will regret not taking this opportunity,” Amanda said. “当我在医院的时候,我非常想念比赛,因为从三年级开始,我就一直梦想着能在大学水平上比赛. It felt amazing when I made the team; it was a dream come true.”

阿曼达讨论了圣母社区如何成为她支持系统的延伸.

“我喜欢我的团队的家庭氛围,我很高兴我有机会向(前任)学习。 Coach Brian Giorgis and now from Head Coach Erin Doughty,” said Amanda. “If you’re going through a challenge, 只要知道你的支持系统会支持你,你永远不会真正孤单.”

虽然阿曼达由于化疗和其他癌症治疗对健康的长期影响而缺阵,其中包括因血管性坏死需要进行肩部手术,但她在球队中仍然是一名活跃而重要的球员.

Image of Coach Erin Doughty and coaching staff.

Coach Erin Doughty (center) and Coaching Staff. Image Design by Steven DeVico/Marist College. Photo courtesy of Marist College Athletics. 

阿曼达说,如果没有她在玛丽亚·法瑞里儿童医院的团队,她不可能活下来 Children’s Cancer Fund该组织资助了她参与的研究、试验和治疗. 她还说,她希望讲述自己的故事能帮助其他经历类似情况的人.

“当人们听到我的故事时,我不需要聚光灯或关注,”她说. “我只是想让人们意识到儿童癌症,这是一个重要而资金不足的问题. 我还想告诉人们,当你得到机会时,要抓住它, live every day like it’s your last, and don’t take life for granted.”

Get tickets to the Marist vs. Army season opener on Nov. 支持阿曼达和她的队友,向我们的退伍军人致敬.
 

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