I never thought I will be in a position to create GoFundMe campaign, write on public websites and and look for support so I don't know how to start...
My name is Ornela, I'm 28 years old and I'm a cancer survivor trying to find a way to get my life back and reach my dreams.
So, let me tell you my story. Last year was possibly the most emotional and the hardest year in my life so far. It's true what they say - life is beautiful, but unpredictable. The begging of 2015 started with me finding real love in Tinder and being diagnosed with a rare type of cancer called Neuroendocrine Maxillary Sinus Cancer, stage T4N0M0. I have always been a positive person, a dreamer but until then I think I never really appreciated life as much as I do now. They didn't know how to treat me, after all I was the 77th case in the world from 1965 till now, so we took a gamble. I am a fighter so I started changing my eating and living habits, I became more grateful and calm, changed the way I think and let life lead me. I start believing. The chemoradiation was painful experience but it did save my life. It was full with complications and challenges but I'm proud I got trough them because that made me stronger and taught me that we should always appreciate our life and be grateful for every minute because things can always get worse. I'm an artist and designer so during my 6 months of treatment I decided to design my new fashion line, build my website and just focuse on creating more. This was the one thing that made me forget about the pain, the diagnose, the inability to eat, drink, walk... the fact that my whole life is changing but not only that but also that I might lose it. I wanted to leave a mark. I also wanted to transform something negative into something meaningful and beautiful. I wanted to add colour in my life. A little bit after the treatment, my samples, website and look book were done. But me not working for 9 months and still recovering made it impossible to earn money so I was and I still am unable to fund the manufacturing/producing of the collection and build my brand any further. So I put my dream on hold and tried to figure out ways to earn the money. In between that time the miracle I was praying for came true and my PETscan was clear. Yes, I WAS CANCER FREE! A month after that another miracle rocked my life - I was pregnant. Let me go backwords, during the treatment I was constantly reminded and mentally prepared that I might never have children because of the chemoradiation, so being pregnant after the treatment was scary but at the same time exciting news, because the daddy was my one true love. The person who was my rock during the whole cancer treatment, the person I saw my future with, the person I only knew for a year but made this year the most amazing one in my life. I felt like the luckiest girl in the world. Have in mind he was my first and last Tinder date. So I do believe you can meet the one online. So here we are now me posting my story on bored panda hoping that this can reach more people and may be I will find my path and purpose in life. May be this post will reach the right people and this 14 month of searching will be finally over. All I really want is to stay cancer free, my baby to be healthy and my brand to succeed so I can be able to provide and leave something behind me if cancer does come back. My situation right now, well I'm s7 months pregnant (its a high risk pregnancy) and 10 months into recovery which will take a lot longer to be fully capable as before. There is a price you pay for being a miracle. So I am still unemployed, still trying to reach my dreams, still believing that my time will come. After everything that happened I really don't want to put my dreams on hold any longer. This is were you come in my life your likes, shares, donations and believe in me and my work will let me reach my goals and make my dream a little closer. I got my second chance in life, so help me make it unforgetable, meaningful and special. Lets 'Pay it Forward' if you ever seen the movie you will know what I'm talking about ;)
My name is Ornela, I'm 28 years old and I'm a cancer survivor trying to find a way to get my life back and reach my dreams.
So, let me tell you my story. Last year was possibly the most emotional and the hardest year in my life so far. It's true what they say - life is beautiful, but unpredictable. The begging of 2015 started with me finding real love in Tinder and being diagnosed with a rare type of cancer called Neuroendocrine Maxillary Sinus Cancer, stage T4N0M0. I have always been a positive person, a dreamer but until then I think I never really appreciated life as much as I do now. They didn't know how to treat me, after all I was the 77th case in the world from 1965 till now, so we took a gamble. I am a fighter so I started changing my eating and living habits, I became more grateful and calm, changed the way I think and let life lead me. I start believing. The chemoradiation was painful experience but it did save my life. It was full with complications and challenges but I'm proud I got trough them because that made me stronger and taught me that we should always appreciate our life and be grateful for every minute because things can always get worse. I'm an artist and designer so during my 6 months of treatment I decided to design my new fashion line, build my website and just focuse on creating more. This was the one thing that made me forget about the pain, the diagnose, the inability to eat, drink, walk... the fact that my whole life is changing but not only that but also that I might lose it. I wanted to leave a mark. I also wanted to transform something negative into something meaningful and beautiful. I wanted to add colour in my life. A little bit after the treatment, my samples, website and look book were done. But me not working for 9 months and still recovering made it impossible to earn money so I was and I still am unable to fund the manufacturing/producing of the collection and build my brand any further. So I put my dream on hold and tried to figure out ways to earn the money. In between that time the miracle I was praying for came true and my PETscan was clear. Yes, I WAS CANCER FREE! A month after that another miracle rocked my life - I was pregnant. Let me go backwords, during the treatment I was constantly reminded and mentally prepared that I might never have children because of the chemoradiation, so being pregnant after the treatment was scary but at the same time exciting news, because the daddy was my one true love. The person who was my rock during the whole cancer treatment, the person I saw my future with, the person I only knew for a year but made this year the most amazing one in my life. I felt like the luckiest girl in the world. Have in mind he was my first and last Tinder date. So I do believe you can meet the one online. So here we are now me posting my story on bored panda hoping that this can reach more people and may be I will find my path and purpose in life. May be this post will reach the right people and this 14 month of searching will be finally over. All I really want is to stay cancer free, my baby to be healthy and my brand to succeed so I can be able to provide and leave something behind me if cancer does come back. My situation right now, well I'm s7 months pregnant (its a high risk pregnancy) and 10 months into recovery which will take a lot longer to be fully capable as before. There is a price you pay for being a miracle. So I am still unemployed, still trying to reach my dreams, still believing that my time will come. After everything that happened I really don't want to put my dreams on hold any longer. This is were you come in my life your likes, shares, donations and believe in me and my work will let me reach my goals and make my dream a little closer. I got my second chance in life, so help me make it unforgetable, meaningful and special. Lets 'Pay it Forward' if you ever seen the movie you will know what I'm talking about ;)
Here is my portfolio: www.behance.net/ornellasole
And this is the website of my brand - it's called SMASH by the way: www.besmashable.com - you can read more about the brand, the collection, check out the campaign photo session, the video advert and see the products.
Also here is the facebook page:
www.facebook.com/besmashable
For donations: www.gofundme.com/begrateful
And this is the website of my brand - it's called SMASH by the way: www.besmashable.com - you can read more about the brand, the collection, check out the campaign photo session, the video advert and see the products.
Also here is the facebook page:
www.facebook.com/besmashable
For donations: www.gofundme.com/begrateful
Don't forget everything is possible!
More info: gofundme.com
Me 3 months before being diagnosed with cancer. :)
First symptoms...
My first PETscan
Being diagnosed with rare type of cancer at age 27
My soulmate
My first chemoteraphy
Reaction of the treatment
My second chemoteraphy and first radioteraphy
My love. My motivation.
First side effects showing
More side effects
More side effects
Its getting worse. 47 days with no food and hooked to IV for 21 days. Still smiling
2 months after the treatment rocking a wig
Me and my grandma. Me appreciating life. Me enjoying a moment.
Blissful moments
Me just few months ago after 2 clear scans
Creation
My website
Being creative during the treatment gave sense to my life
Me just few weeks ago! My hair is growing back and our love is growing stronger!
My little miracle! Thats Luca! We can't wait to meet him!
