Amy Wolf had fluid in her lungs. She had fluid surrounding her heart. And her lymph nodes were enlarged and full of cancerous cells. The Elon University sophomore was only 16 years old in October 2011 when she was diagnosed with Peripheral T-cell Lymphoma.
Growing up, Wolf experienced the toll cancer takes on patients after seeing family members suffer from prostate, bladder and breast cancer.
“You never expect [cancer],” Wolf said. “That’s what makes it so scary.”
Her own illness was discovered after summer camp her junior year of high school when she spent most of her time in the infirmary with a fever and unexplainable fatigue.
After that summer, weekly visits to the pediatrician became a part of her routine. As she stopped eating, pediatricians attributed Wolf’s symptoms to pneumonia or mononucleosis, two diseases with similar symptoms. But after receiving a PET scan, fluid was discovered in her lungs and around her heart.
“When I was in the ER and they were trying to explain what they found, my mom started crying and yelled at the doctor saying, ‘You better not say the “C-word.’” Wolf said. “But when my mom said that, it clicked that that was why the antibiotics weren’t working.”
Wolf was admitted to the Children’s Hospital at Duke University Medical Center that fall to treat the cancer in her lymph nodes with three-hour infusions of chemotherapy.
“Not being in control was the scariest part of being sick,” Wolf said. “My cancer was rare in pediatrics, so I was like a test bunny for the treatment regimen I was on.”
Wolf was prescribed two bone marrow transplants, involving her own stem cells for her first transplant, and then a smaller dose of someone else’s stem cells for the next transplant.
For her body to accept the cells, her immune system was wiped with high doses of chemotherapy to avoid any attacks on the foreign cells. The second bone marrow transplant was a precautionary measure to prevent the cancer’s return. In addition to the two transplants, Wolf underwent endoscopies, line placements, bone marrow checks, radiation and a spinal tap.
Wolf continued her high school education through a hospital teacher who worked with her on assignments. As she remained in the hospital for another year, she was assigned a homebound teacher her senior year of high school.
“I was very set on going to Elon since my freshman year of high school, so I was determined to still attend [school] and graduate with my class,” she said.
Although her initial plan was to study business at Elon, after spending time with other cancer patients and having support from the Duke staff, Wolf decided to major in human service studies. She now plans to pursue a profession as a child life specialist — a career centered on helping sick children develop coping skills through play.
“I have been very focused on becoming a child life specialist because I want to help children who were in the same position I was,” Wolf said.
And now she can. In May 2012, Wolf was declared cancer-free.
Wolf recovered at home for a year after the declaration, attending Durham Technical Community College for her first year of college.
“Every day I’m scared of it returning. I never want to relive that time in my life,” she said. “I met some amazing people who I would not have met otherwise, but I would never want to be in such a vulnerable place in my life again.”
Almost three years later, Wolf has dedicated her time to working with Elonthon, the 24-hour dance marathon organization that works to help raise money for Duke Children’s Hospital.
Her role for Elonthon is the role of a Miracle Child, a speaker at Dance Marathons who is a cancer survivor.
“I have heard her speak at Elonthon in the past and always found her story to be inspiring,” senior and Elonthon Families Relation Chair Tessa Kroninger said. “The manner in which she tells her story also is a testament to her positive outlook on life and bubbly personality.”
Apart from Elonthon, Wolf hopes to reform the way cancer is viewed on Elon’s campus.
“Death isn’t the first thing you should think about when you hear ‘tumor.’ ‘What can I do to help make their experience better?’ is what it should be,” Wolf said. “Dance marathon is a way for people to celebrate any story and is a way to get people involved because there are really sick kids.”
Elonthon held its first fundraising event of the year Saturday with an open mic night at The Oak House. The event began official fundraising for Duke Children’s Hospital. Performances from the a capella group Shirley Tempos, solo musical acts and stories told by Elon Miracle Child began the night. Wolf concluded the event with a final speech about how dance marathons benefit children’s hospitals and her own experiences.
“It’s effortless to talk at these events because it’s my life. I don’t have to memorize facts or look from a script,” she said. “But I don’t want to get too specific about some of the heavier things because Dance Marathons are all about helping the kids that are sicker than me now. I was in that position once before. I never want to go back.”
Wolf has drawn strength from her fear.
“It amazes me how far I have come from being so sick to feeling so good,” Wolf said. “There have been some bumps in the road, emotionally and physically, but I am stronger because of it, and I want to share my story.”