As someone who has never heard the experience of someone who has had cancer firsthand, the talk by Jason Hungerford was very impactful. Not only was I able to hear a very personal story, I was able to learn more about cancer and its social effect, as well as some of the resources available for people affected by cancer in Ithaca. Last semester, I did the Cancer Walkathon that was offered as a Rose event. It was a great experience, since I was able to see the support the cancer community has in Ithaca.

In Jason’s talk, I was able to hear more about what the funds raised by events, such as the walkathon, go to at the Cancer Resource Center. This talk definitely made me see a different perspective on cancer, and made me appreciate the openness with which Jason spoke to us. Often during his talk he would joke about how he felt that some of the things he was telling us about his experience might make us uncomfortable, but that he wanted to be as clear as he could about his experience with cancer. Rather, I feel that many of us saw his openness simply as someone who wanted to share a very personal experience and was willing to answer any questions we may have. I believe that Jason’s openness was the key to us feeling comfortable in approaching him about the topic.