Tonya Hurley - Living With Cancer. A Collection of Essays from the Gildas Club New York City Teen Essay Contest

Id walked by Gildas Club on Houston Street many times before, having worked in and around the neighborhood ever since I arrived in New York City from Pittsburgh. I was a fan of Gilda Radner and had admired the work that was being done in her name, but it wasnt until I had a cancer scare of my own that I actually entered its famously red door.

I had just given birth to my daughter Isabelle Rose when I found the lump. Soon, I was going through all kinds of biopsies and scans. It was a terrifying whirlwind filled with white, sterile rooms, painful tests, and strange faces. Oddly enough, I found myself thinking a lot about Gilda and what she went through. The first thing I did was order her book, Its Always Something. I read it voraciously, relating to her in a way I never had before. Not just as a trailblazing, lovable comedian, but as a vulnerable human being. I relied on her during that time. I leaned on her. I took the book with me to my tests and read it while I waited. And waited. And worried. And waited. Eventually, I had to have surgery for a definitive answer. Even though Id read the book a few times by then, I still took it with me to the hospital. A few weeks later, I was told that I didnt have cancer but another condition that puts me at high risk for developing cancer. I was so thankful that all I wanted to do was give back somehow.

So I headed for the red door.

Once inside, I felt right at home in a way I hadnt expected. I was able not only to see, but also to appreciate the hard work that Gildas Club does to support those living with cancer and their families. All of it, for free. It was incredibly inspiring.

I met with the volunteer coordinator and told her how much I relied on Gildas book while I was going through my ordeal. How much she had helped me a friend that Id never met, but somehow knew.

Im a young adult author, I explained. What can I do to help?

We began brainstorming. She told me that she was in the beginning stages of trying to organize a teen essay contest. My eyes lit up. I told her how I often encountered teen readers whod been touched by cancer at book signings and events. One of the first rules of writing is to write what you know, I thought. And, what better way for teens affected by cancer to express themselves?

We talked about how great it would be if the teens could actually hear from their peers going through similar situations. So they could relate, feel comforted, and have someone to lean on during their journey. Something just like Gildas book was for me. And so, the first Teen Essay Contest was born and the beginnings of this collection were launched.

Four years later, the first eBook was underway. With so many extraordinary essays to choose from, it was truly a daunting experience making these final selections. Our guiding spirit throughout this process was, of course, Gilda Radner, and the amazing fellow judges who signed on to help with such difficult yet rewarding decisions.

It has been an honor to be involved in such a life-affirming project. To witness in print the bravery and honesty of these teens. Theyve taught me so much about life, love and what it is to fight, to win, and sometimes to lose. Even as we make these accounts more widely available, I hope that the sense of intimacy and relatability that informs each of them shines through, allowing a few tears and lots of smiles. I hope that within these pages readers find a place to let go, to be themselves, and ultimately to find strength. That they find a writer here to relate to; to lean on.