I used to talk about my trauma a lot on here and I have a pretty decent following from both Medtwitter and the cancer community. I used humor to cope through the duration of my treatment and still continue to do so afterwards but there was a breaking point: public policy.

I felt that my ability to write and talk to people face to face about my story was needed in a way to give back and do better for cancer patients, and that’s exactly what I did. In 2018, I went to DC and ended up getting a bill passed through a another house omnibus bill.

It was the Deferment for Active Cancer Treatment Act of 2017-cosponsored by Ross-Lehtinen and brought to the Department of Education’s by my congresswoman’s subcommittee on H&HS, Betty McCollum DFL-MN04.

In my 3 trips to DC, I noticed a lot of wins and I noticed a lot of loss. Apathy in particular struck me and I knew I had to pump the brakes on participating in stuff because I watched a grandfather of a 2 year old acute myeloid leukemia patient pour his heart out in tears to a

staffer from Senator Portman’s office who identified herself as a social worker upon the start of the meeting and she spent her time mostly on her phone. I lost faith in our electoral system at the local, state, and federal level in that moment.

I was & still sort of am proud of my work on the hill but to this day, my brain has shattered into a thousand pieces trying to understand why people around me that I loved and respected apparently supported my cancer journey only up until I realized my existence became political

Sometimes I tweet with a lot of piss and vinegar and other times I am sad, but all of it is out of frustration for the lack of education about our electoral system or the fact that I’ve come to the conclusion that people are just not willing to be educated.

Becoming an advocate was one of the best things I’ve ever done and I don’t regret anything, but I constantly am retraumatizing myself in exchange for the establishment of credibility to do what I can for the marginalized communities I’m a part of. It’s not a fun or light job.

Anyway, I’m tired and my kid is asleep so I’m gonna take a nap.