Margo Hunt can’t
remember a time when she wasn’t a cancer survivor
Cancer has always been a familiar word in my vocabulary. I
was only three months old when I was diagnosed. I cannot remember a time when I
was not a survivor. I beat liver cancer by the time I was one, but the journey
wasn’t over-it was just starting.
The battle with
cancer never ends.
For years, survivors deal with side effects of the
treatments.
For me, it meant years of surgery. I had tubes put in my ears right after I
finished chemotherapy at age one. The idea was to prevent infections, but
instead it caused my right eardrum to melt. To this day and despite reconstructive
surgery, I still have a hole in my ear and significant hearing loss. I am a 21-year-old woman, who wears a hearing
aid. I walk straight thanks to surgeries that placed and then removed growth
plates from my knees. A side effect of cancer is uneven growth on each side of
your body. The plates helped me stay
even, while one side had time to catch up. It’s not a side effect you often
hear of, but it happens and it makes adolescence that much harder.
 |
| Delta
Omicron chapter members at the 2012 Morehead State University Relay for
Life
Margo is seventh from the left.
|
When I think about the medical care that I’ve had, the
surgeries and challenges I’ve survived, I think of my parents. They are my biggest
cheerleaders and standing next to them cheering me on, is my Delta Gamma
family.
Now that I’ve beaten the disease, it is my mission to help
create a world where my family, Delta Gamma sisters and friends never have to
suffer from cancer. I met Delta Gamma in
the fall of 2009; I fell in love and felt at home instantly. I knew this group of women would not only
accept me, but provide me with my home away from home.
During the past three years, I’ve worked diligently in the
fight against cancer. I hosted fundraisers and helped spread awareness. Delta Gamma provided me with the foundation
of support I needed during my philanthropic endeavors. I received support not only from my chapter,
but chapters across the United States. By sharing my story in the 2010 winter issue
of the ANCHORA I was able to connect
with fellow cancer survivor and Gamma Mu-Florida State alumna, Diem Brown. Diem
was on the MTV Real World/Road Rules challenges while undergoing her
treatment. Her hope and strength made
her a huge role model for me as a 16-year-old getting a hearing aid. Also, this past summer I was offered an
internship with St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in the San Francisco,
California fundraising office. Through Twitter
I was able to connect with the San Francisco alumnae group. They were extremely helpful in my search to
find temporary housing in the area.
While I did not end up taking the internship, the support I received
from that group is something I will cherish forever.
Right now I’m interning for the American Cancer Society. My
main job was to host the 2012 Morehead State University Relay for Life. The
event was an immense success, with much credit going to my Delta Omicron-Morehead
State sisters. Delta Gamma had the
highest fundraising total and the funniest “on the hour” event which made the
Relay extremely rewarding. However, the real reward was the reminder of how
much Delta Gamma means to me. During the
“in honor” lap, all of my Delta Omicron sisters walked around me; some had tears in their eyes and some held my
hand and hugged me, but as we walked past the glowing bag with my name on it,
we were all thankful.
Margo Hunt, Delta Omicron–Morehead State, is a cancer survivor living in
Morehead, Kentucky. She is senior history major. She has future plans to attend
law school. You can reach Margo at mahunt@moreheadstate.edu.
According to the U.S. National Library of Medicine,
Hepatocellular carcinoma accounts for most liver cancers. This type of cancer
occurs more often in men than women. It is usually seen in people age 50 or
older.
For
more information on Hepatocellular carcinoma:
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