I was diagnosed at 20 — right in the middle of becoming a person. I went through chemo, got NED (no evidence of disease), and then… life just kept going. Everyone kept telling me to “keep fighting” — like that was the reason I survived. Like if you’re strong enough, angry enough, or positive enough, you’ll make it. 

But the truth is, survival isn’t a personality trait. It wasn’t a mindset. It’s a brutal mix of luck, medicine, and the body doing what it can. And after it was over, I wasn’t left feeling strong. I was left with grief, rage, guilt, and exhaustion.

So I created FightEm — not to promote fighting, but to challenge what that even means. This is a space for the people affected by cancer (and life, really) who are tired of being told to smile through it. It’s for those who are angry and healing at the same time. People who want to light a candle and cry. People who want a sticker that says “fuck cancer” without looking like a cheap slogan. People who feel lost after surviving — and don’t want color ribbons or empty motivation quotes. Through candles, stickers, zines, and more, FightEm offers a creative outlet for everything we’re told to suppress: grief, anger, humor, identity, and the messy middle of healing. This brand is about giving those feelings a home — and a little fire. A portion of profits (10%) is donated to the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, who helped lift some of the financial weight during my treatment — and still helps people like me every day.