Jackie always found reasons to smile during her journey with cancer. Clockwise from top: as an #ACHero patient during the 2016 Akron Marathon (read story); playing basketball; cuddling with the hospital’s Doggie Brigade, and at the 2015 A Prom to Remember with other cancer patients.
June 5, 2014 is when my whole life changed. That’s the day I was diagnosed with cancer.
My name is Jackie Custer, and I was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL, which is a childhood cancer of the bone marrow and blood) when I was 16 years old. (Read more about her treatment in this blog post at the Showers Family Center for Childhood Cancer and Blood Disorders.)
Early into treatment, I had an allergic reaction to one of the chemotherapy drugs, which caused a stroke. Six months of physical, occupational and speech therapy helped me recover.
Oct. 1, 2014 — just 4 months after diagnosis — was a dream come true for Jackie. She met LeBron James. Jackie has been playing basketball since 6th grade and has her Jackson High School coach, Anthony Butch, to thank for helping her score a hug and a jersey from King James. Read more
Having cancer was one of the hardest things I’ve ever had to go through, but I can proudly say that I have been cancer FREE for a year and a half now. I currently study at the University of Mount Union majoring in Middle Childhood Education, with concentrations in math and science. I’m also minoring in Chinese. In my free time I like to play basketball and spend time with family and friends.
On Cancer Survivors Day, a lot of emotions run through my head. I think of the long hospital stays, the chemotherapy, the sleepless nights, and all of the awful side effects. But I also think of the amazing doctors, nurses, and support system I have had throughout my journey.
Jackie’s escort to A Prom to Remember in March 2015 was former Cleveland Cavilers’ point guard Matthew Dellavedova. He also invited her to a game and spoke to her Jackson High School basketball team. See a video of their evening below or here.
Akron Children’s Hospital is my second home and everyone who I’ve come in contact with there is like my second family. I am forever grateful to be here today.
Nurse Practitioner Ann Stratton always encouraged Jackie to keep her head up and said she’d be quoting Mary Poppins before long. While talking with her soon after the stroke, Jackie slowly got out 1 word to Ann – supercalifragilisticexpialidocious. “Kudos to her wit and determination to come back with a line like that… Jackie made recovery quicker than we thought she would, which is something she continued to do throughout her treatment.”
For anyone who is going through cancer or a similar situation, I would tell them to always keep a positive attitude. You can’t always control what happens to you, but you can control your attitude towards the thing that happens. I think always looking for the positives in every situation and setting goals for yourself is what will get you through any tough situation.
Happy National Cancer Survivors Day! Special thank you to Dr. (Jeffrey) Hord and everyone at Akron Children’s who make the tough times a lot easier.
Good times – always – with Dr. Hord in and out of the cancer center!
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