Young Cancer Survivors Share Their Honest Stories

Cancer is an illness of the body that takes a heavy toll on the mind. So when watching this video featuring cancer survivors sharing their stories, be prepared to get a little choked up with them. When BuzzFeed pulled together a group of young survivors and asked them about their experience with cancer, their stories were a mix of tears and laugher.

These days, it seems like everyone knows someone who has had cancer. Over 1.6 million cancer cases were diagnosed in the year 2015 alone. And while the disease is relatively common and spoken about, it seems like there's still no right way to talk about it. Some cancer patients prefer a positive and comedic approach to their mentality, while others are completely debilitated by their treatment and can't help but feel low and isolated. This group yielded a mix of the two mentalities, showcasing the wide range of experiences that can be had.

And while this mixed group underwent very different experiences in their treatment, they could all agree on one thing: the support groups that manifested around them were everything. The parents, friends, doctors and partners that stuck around for the struggle are believed to be a huge factor in their survival. Proving that while we might not know the right words to say, we know how to embody support when a loved one needs us. There's no way around it, cancer blows. It's a hideous, tragic disease that's plucked away millions of people that were someone's loved ones. While the toll cancer might take on a patient is significant, there's no doubt that a level of enlightened wisdom takes over its survivors. Here are some highlights from the video below:

First reaction

There's never a convenient time for bad news. These survivors had a similar reaction to the news of their diagnosis ... it's not a good time for cancer.

Fear

There are so many fears other than the fear of death that kicked in after these survivors found out they had cancer. From losing their hair to finding a support system to paying for their treatment, the list of fears was long and vast.

Lessons

After their completed treatment, these brave survivors can look back at their experience and pull some important lessons: life is short and precious even for healthy people, so make the most of every day, appreciate the people around you and take every opportunity to be present.

Watch the full video here:

Images: YouTube (7)