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When Cindy was 17 years old, she was a star athlete and a great student, preparing to go to college and enroll in ROTC. Her parents, refugees from Vietnam, moved to the United States to give her a better life, and she wanted to make them proud. But when she started feeling exhausted all the time and noticed swelling in her lymph nodes, she knew something was wrong. After several visits to various doctors and the hospital, she was diagnosed with stage II non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma.
It was devastating news for Cindy and her family, but they were at least grateful that Medicaid would cover all the treatment Cindy needed to survive. Just after Thanksgiving her senior year in high school, Cindy started chemotherapy. Each session lasted 3 ½ hours, and she had to do them every other week for six months. Cindy was scared, but she didn’t let it stop her. She went to classes as much as she could, took the ACT and SAT, and continued her plans to go to college. She still went to her senior prom, even though it was just two days after her chemotherapy session.
The aftermath of Cindy’s chemotherapy meant she had to delay college for a bit. But now, Cindy is 24 years old, cancer-free, and a junior at Kennesaw State University. She is fascinated by all things aerospace and has formed a group at her school to advocate for a new major in the field.
Cindy is incredibly thankful that Medicaid was there for her when she needed it. “I would not be sitting here today talking to you without it,” she said.
