if I told you to visualize a 16 year old girl whose boat won a national
girl whose boat won a national
girl whose boat won a national championship and crew and who rode a
championship and crew and who rode a
championship and crew and who rode a hundred and sixty five miles from
hundred and sixty five miles from
hundred and sixty five miles from Wellesley to Provincetown over the
Wellesley to Provincetown over the
Wellesley to Provincetown over the course of one weekend I’m guessing you’d
course of one weekend I’m guessing you’d
course of one weekend I’m guessing you’d visualize someone tall strong and
visualize someone tall strong and
visualize someone tall strong and athletic and then there’s me I am four
athletic and then there’s me I am four
athletic and then there’s me I am four foot nine 73 pounds and not very
foot nine 73 pounds and not very
foot nine 73 pounds and not very athletic and yet I have done both of
athletic and yet I have done both of
athletic and yet I have done both of these things in the past two months
these things in the past two months
these things in the past two months in fact my being a varsity athlete is
in fact my being a varsity athlete is
in fact my being a varsity athlete is kind of a joke in the family if you knew
kind of a joke in the family if you knew
kind of a joke in the family if you knew me well you know that I’m not what even
me well you know that I’m not what even
me well you know that I’m not what even a casual observer would call physically
a casual observer would call physically
a casual observer would call physically fit but this past summer my diet and I
fit but this past summer my diet and I
fit but this past summer my diet and I rode for the second time in the Pan Mass
rode for the second time in the Pan Mass
rode for the second time in the Pan Mass Challenge a major to day Cycling
Challenge a major to day Cycling
Challenge a major to day Cycling fundraiser to raise money for the Dana
fundraiser to raise money for the Dana
fundraiser to raise money for the Dana Farber Cancer Institute after
Farber Cancer Institute after
Farber Cancer Institute after successfully riding 80 miles on day one
successfully riding 80 miles on day one
successfully riding 80 miles on day one we started day two by waking up at 4:00
we started day two by waking up at 4:00
we started day two by waking up at 4:00 a.m. riding over the Bourne Bridge at
a.m. riding over the Bourne Bridge at
a.m. riding over the Bourne Bridge at dawn and watching the Sun rise over the
dawn and watching the Sun rise over the
dawn and watching the Sun rise over the Cape Cod Canal but as the day wore on
Cape Cod Canal but as the day wore on
Cape Cod Canal but as the day wore on the exhaustion set in and I began to
the exhaustion set in and I began to
the exhaustion set in and I began to doubt my ability to finish the event
doubt my ability to finish the event
doubt my ability to finish the event with ten miles left to go
with ten miles left to go
with ten miles left to go Alma felt like an interminably steep
Alma felt like an interminably steep
Alma felt like an interminably steep hill my dad and I stopped for a quick
hill my dad and I stopped for a quick
hill my dad and I stopped for a quick water break unfortunately when we went
water break unfortunately when we went
water break unfortunately when we went to restart
to restart
to restart we lost our balance and fell on to the
we lost our balance and fell on to the
we lost our balance and fell on to the hard pavement my dad’s elbow was
hard pavement my dad’s elbow was
hard pavement my dad’s elbow was bleeding profusely and my knee which had
bleeding profusely and my knee which had
bleeding profusely and my knee which had been aching for most of the past two
been aching for most of the past two
been aching for most of the past two days was scraped up and throbbing but
days was scraped up and throbbing but
days was scraped up and throbbing but nothing was broken so we resolved to
nothing was broken so we resolved to
nothing was broken so we resolved to finish the event we remounted our bike
finish the event we remounted our bike
finish the event we remounted our bike summited the hill and turned north on to
summited the hill and turned north on to
summited the hill and turned north on to a major road for the last eight mile
a major road for the last eight mile
a major road for the last eight mile stretch straight into a fierce headwind
stretch straight into a fierce headwind
stretch straight into a fierce headwind I could see the tip of the Cape in the
I could see the tip of the Cape in the
I could see the tip of the Cape in the distance where the finish line was right
distance where the finish line was right
distance where the finish line was right there in front of me but the wind
there in front of me but the wind
there in front of me but the wind whipped around us seemingly pushing us
whipped around us seemingly pushing us
whipped around us seemingly pushing us backwards as we struggled to make
backwards as we struggled to make
backwards as we struggled to make progress a posse of bikers came up
progress a posse of bikers came up
progress a posse of bikers came up beside us drafting behind each other
beside us drafting behind each other
beside us drafting behind each other each member
each member
each member taking a turn in the front so as to
taking a turn in the front so as to
taking a turn in the front so as to allow the others behind them to take a
allow the others behind them to take a
allow the others behind them to take a load off they asked us if we wanted to
load off they asked us if we wanted to
load off they asked us if we wanted to join and we gladly tucked in behind them
join and we gladly tucked in behind them
join and we gladly tucked in behind them bonding with our new friends who pulled
bonding with our new friends who pulled
bonding with our new friends who pulled us along as we rode together we were
us along as we rode together we were
us along as we rode together we were unified unified by our exhaustion
unified unified by our exhaustion
unified unified by our exhaustion unified by our common goal and unified
unified by our common goal and unified
unified by our common goal and unified by a cause with their support and
by a cause with their support and
by a cause with their support and encouragement I was able to push past my
encouragement I was able to push past my
encouragement I was able to push past my physical limitations exhaustion and pain
physical limitations exhaustion and pain
physical limitations exhaustion and pain and make it to the finish but I didn’t
and make it to the finish but I didn’t
and make it to the finish but I didn’t just do this ride to feel athletic I was
just do this ride to feel athletic I was
just do this ride to feel athletic I was motivated to help raise money and find a
motivated to help raise money and find a
motivated to help raise money and find a cure for pediatric brain tumors I’m
cure for pediatric brain tumors I’m
cure for pediatric brain tumors I’m Samantha Genoa and I am a brain tumor
Samantha Genoa and I am a brain tumor
Samantha Genoa and I am a brain tumor survivor 13 years ago just after my
survivor 13 years ago just after my
survivor 13 years ago just after my third birthday
third birthday
third birthday our babysitter noticed that I had
our babysitter noticed that I had
our babysitter noticed that I had stopped using my right arm she thought I
stopped using my right arm she thought I
stopped using my right arm she thought I had a stroke shortly thereafter I was
had a stroke shortly thereafter I was
had a stroke shortly thereafter I was diagnosed with a brain tumor
diagnosed with a brain tumor
diagnosed with a brain tumor I had a day-long neurosurgery at
I had a day-long neurosurgery at
I had a day-long neurosurgery at Children’s Hospital a few days later the
Children’s Hospital a few days later the
Children’s Hospital a few days later the surgeons were able to remove most but
surgeons were able to remove most but
surgeons were able to remove most but not all of the tumor and six months
not all of the tumor and six months
not all of the tumor and six months later the remaining tumor started to
later the remaining tumor started to
later the remaining tumor started to grow again
grow again
grow again the oncologist discussed the various
the oncologist discussed the various
the oncologist discussed the various options with my parents explaining that
options with my parents explaining that
options with my parents explaining that the front-line chemotherapy for this
the front-line chemotherapy for this
the front-line chemotherapy for this disease was toxic and not particularly
disease was toxic and not particularly
disease was toxic and not particularly effective but doing nothing was not an
effective but doing nothing was not an
effective but doing nothing was not an option and the long-term side effects of
option and the long-term side effects of
option and the long-term side effects of radiating a young brain are far worse my
radiating a young brain are far worse my
radiating a young brain are far worse my first round of chemotherapy required
first round of chemotherapy required
first round of chemotherapy required weekly visits to the Jimmy Fund clinic
weekly visits to the Jimmy Fund clinic
weekly visits to the Jimmy Fund clinic for injections to report in my chest my
for injections to report in my chest my
for injections to report in my chest my mom says I used to ask her what was it
mom says I used to ask her what was it
mom says I used to ask her what was it like when you had chemo as a kid didn’t
like when you had chemo as a kid didn’t
like when you had chemo as a kid didn’t everyone have to go through this that
everyone have to go through this that
everyone have to go through this that chemo worked for a while until it didn’t
chemo worked for a while until it didn’t
chemo worked for a while until it didn’t my tumor started to grow again just as I
my tumor started to grow again just as I
my tumor started to grow again just as I was entering kindergarten this time I
was entering kindergarten this time I
was entering kindergarten this time I started a new regimen taking my
started a new regimen taking my
started a new regimen taking my medication orally instead of through
medication orally instead of through
medication orally instead of through injections for a young kid who had a
injections for a young kid who had a
injections for a young kid who had a hard time taking pills it was pure
hard time taking pills it was pure
hard time taking pills it was pure torture my parents tried to hide the
torture my parents tried to hide the
torture my parents tried to hide the medicine in pudding but I always spit it
medicine in pudding but I always spit it
medicine in pudding but I always spit it out to this day I still can’t eat
out to this day I still can’t eat
out to this day I still can’t eat pudding thanks mom
pudding thanks mom
pudding thanks mom luckily this round of treatments was
luckily this round of treatments was
luckily this round of treatments was more successful and my tumor has not
more successful and my tumor has not
more successful and my tumor has not grown since the first grade four years
grown since the first grade four years
grown since the first grade four years after my initial diagnosis if I’m being
after my initial diagnosis if I’m being
after my initial diagnosis if I’m being honest I don’t remember much from this
honest I don’t remember much from this
honest I don’t remember much from this time period of my life I was young and
time period of my life I was young and
time period of my life I was young and it was traumatic I was fortunate to have
it was traumatic I was fortunate to have
it was traumatic I was fortunate to have such terrific caregivers at the
such terrific caregivers at the
such terrific caregivers at the dana-farber as well as loving and
dana-farber as well as loving and
dana-farber as well as loving and supporting family and friends to help me
supporting family and friends to help me
supporting family and friends to help me through this ordeal somehow I’ve managed
through this ordeal somehow I’ve managed
through this ordeal somehow I’ve managed to block out the most unpleasant
to block out the most unpleasant
to block out the most unpleasant memories of being a cancer patient from
memories of being a cancer patient from
memories of being a cancer patient from my mind as a young adults and childhood
my mind as a young adults and childhood
my mind as a young adults and childhood cancer survivor I now see the myriad
cancer survivor I now see the myriad
cancer survivor I now see the myriad ways in which this disease has affected
ways in which this disease has affected
ways in which this disease has affected me both psychologically and physically
me both psychologically and physically
me both psychologically and physically one example of this is that my right leg
one example of this is that my right leg
one example of this is that my right leg is shorter than I left while this
is shorter than I left while this
is shorter than I left while this doesn’t affect me if I walk or stand I
doesn’t affect me if I walk or stand I
doesn’t affect me if I walk or stand I can’t run or participate in most sports
can’t run or participate in most sports
can’t run or participate in most sports without hyperextending my knee as
without hyperextending my knee as
without hyperextending my knee as another example my petite stature is a
another example my petite stature is a
another example my petite stature is a function of having fallen off the growth
function of having fallen off the growth
function of having fallen off the growth curb while on chemo compounding matters
curb while on chemo compounding matters
curb while on chemo compounding matters the doctors ascribed my son Ted growth
the doctors ascribed my son Ted growth
the doctors ascribed my son Ted growth to the treatments and we didn’t discover
to the treatments and we didn’t discover
to the treatments and we didn’t discover that I had celiac disease for a few
that I had celiac disease for a few
that I had celiac disease for a few years later this caused me to miss
years later this caused me to miss
years later this caused me to miss critical growth years as my pre teenage
critical growth years as my pre teenage
critical growth years as my pre teenage body was unable to properly absorb
body was unable to properly absorb
body was unable to properly absorb nutrition when I was 3 I started taking
nutrition when I was 3 I started taking
nutrition when I was 3 I started taking dance class I loved twirling around the
dance class I loved twirling around the
dance class I loved twirling around the music and ignoring the chaos of life
music and ignoring the chaos of life
music and ignoring the chaos of life around me but cancer and treatment made
around me but cancer and treatment made
around me but cancer and treatment made this difficult even years after leaving
this difficult even years after leaving
this difficult even years after leaving the clinic I still felt like I could not
the clinic I still felt like I could not
the clinic I still felt like I could not keep up with the other kids while I
keep up with the other kids while I
keep up with the other kids while I still loved it I eventually quit as a
still loved it I eventually quit as a
still loved it I eventually quit as a result when I entered high school I knew
result when I entered high school I knew
result when I entered high school I knew almost no one despite being a generally
almost no one despite being a generally
almost no one despite being a generally outgoing kid I felt nervous and shy I
outgoing kid I felt nervous and shy I
outgoing kid I felt nervous and shy I became acutely aware of the fact that I
became acutely aware of the fact that I
became acutely aware of the fact that I had not grown or developed like the
had not grown or developed like the
had not grown or developed like the other kids to my classmates I looked
other kids to my classmates I looked
other kids to my classmates I looked more like a younger sibling than their
more like a younger sibling than their
more like a younger sibling than their peer making matters even worse in an
peer making matters even worse in an
peer making matters even worse in an environment where most kids participated
environment where most kids participated
environment where most kids participated in athletics I was one of the few not on
in athletics I was one of the few not on
in athletics I was one of the few not on a fall sports team
a fall sports team
a fall sports team but I soon found that none of this
but I soon found that none of this
but I soon found that none of this matters my personality and my passions
matters my personality and my passions
matters my personality and my passions are far more defining than my looks I
are far more defining than my looks I
are far more defining than my looks I found a group of friends who liked me
found a group of friends who liked me
found a group of friends who liked me for who I am and don’t care about what I
for who I am and don’t care about what I
for who I am and don’t care about what I look like or what I do or don’t do if
look like or what I do or don’t do if
look like or what I do or don’t do if you would ask me before I started high
you would ask me before I started high
you would ask me before I started high school if I ever thought I would be on a
school if I ever thought I would be on a
school if I ever thought I would be on a competitive sports team I would have
competitive sports team I would have
competitive sports team I would have laughed and said no without any
laughed and said no without any
laughed and said no without any hesitation but in the spring of my
hesitation but in the spring of my
hesitation but in the spring of my freshman year I discovered through a
freshman year I discovered through a
freshman year I discovered through a sport that relies on small people like
sport that relies on small people like
sport that relies on small people like myself to steer the boat manage the race
myself to steer the boat manage the race
myself to steer the boat manage the race and most importantly motivate the rowers
and most importantly motivate the rowers
and most importantly motivate the rowers for the first time in my life I was a
for the first time in my life I was a
for the first time in my life I was a part of a competitive sports team where
part of a competitive sports team where
part of a competitive sports team where I could contribute and was welcomed my
I could contribute and was welcomed my
I could contribute and was welcomed my diminutive size was actually an
diminutive size was actually an
diminutive size was actually an advantage and as I worked to improve my
advantage and as I worked to improve my
advantage and as I worked to improve my skills the girls came to trust me I love
skills the girls came to trust me I love
skills the girls came to trust me I love the feeling of being a part of such a
the feeling of being a part of such a
the feeling of being a part of such a close-knit competitive team this
close-knit competitive team this
close-knit competitive team this newfound confidence that I found within
newfound confidence that I found within
newfound confidence that I found within myself through Cru inspired me to take
myself through Cru inspired me to take
myself through Cru inspired me to take risks in other places in my life that
risks in other places in my life that
risks in other places in my life that spring I resolved to no longer let the
spring I resolved to no longer let the
spring I resolved to no longer let the side effects of my cancer hold me back
side effects of my cancer hold me back
side effects of my cancer hold me back that spring I resolved to ride the Pan
that spring I resolved to ride the Pan
that spring I resolved to ride the Pan Mass Challenge for the first time for
Mass Challenge for the first time for
Mass Challenge for the first time for years I had watched my dad and his
years I had watched my dad and his
years I had watched my dad and his friends trained for the PMC to raise
friends trained for the PMC to raise
friends trained for the PMC to raise money for the dana-farber and despite
money for the dana-farber and despite
money for the dana-farber and despite there being a PMC teemed named after me
there being a PMC teemed named after me
there being a PMC teemed named after me I never thought I could ride on Team
I never thought I could ride on Team
I never thought I could ride on Team Samantha myself now I wanted to be out
Samantha myself now I wanted to be out
Samantha myself now I wanted to be out there thinking those that had helped me
there thinking those that had helped me
there thinking those that had helped me in my darkest hours and supporting the
in my darkest hours and supporting the
in my darkest hours and supporting the other riders so my dad rented a tandem
other riders so my dad rented a tandem
other riders so my dad rented a tandem bike and we started to train together
bike and we started to train together
bike and we started to train together our first time out I could barely ride
our first time out I could barely ride
our first time out I could barely ride ten miles and yet our training paid off
ten miles and yet our training paid off
ten miles and yet our training paid off and my endurance gradually improved I
and my endurance gradually improved I
and my endurance gradually improved I remember being extremely nervous at the
remember being extremely nervous at the
remember being extremely nervous at the start but as the miles flew by I met
start but as the miles flew by I met
start but as the miles flew by I met tons of people who told me how cancer
tons of people who told me how cancer
tons of people who told me how cancer affected them but I wasn’t really truly
affected them but I wasn’t really truly
affected them but I wasn’t really truly inspired until mile 60 at the pedal
inspired until mile 60 at the pedal
inspired until mile 60 at the pedal partner tent the PMC every year allows
partner tent the PMC every year allows
partner tent the PMC every year allows pediatric cancer
pediatric cancer
pediatric cancer patience to come and cheer on their
patience to come and cheer on their
patience to come and cheer on their riders inspiring them to keep pedaling
riders inspiring them to keep pedaling
riders inspiring them to keep pedaling when I was younger I had been one of
when I was younger I had been one of
when I was younger I had been one of these kids not having any hope for
these kids not having any hope for
these kids not having any hope for riding myself but encouraging the riders
riding myself but encouraging the riders
riding myself but encouraging the riders to keep pedaling now I found myself
to keep pedaling now I found myself
to keep pedaling now I found myself proudly standing in the position of a
proudly standing in the position of a
proudly standing in the position of a rider I was overcoming my overwhelming
rider I was overcoming my overwhelming
rider I was overcoming my overwhelming odds
odds
odds I no longer like cancer or anything else
I no longer like cancer or anything else
I no longer like cancer or anything else hold me back I was taking control of my
hold me back I was taking control of my
hold me back I was taking control of my situation so I turn to you and ask what
situation so I turn to you and ask what
situation so I turn to you and ask what has been holding you back everyone has
has been holding you back everyone has
has been holding you back everyone has obstacles to overcome in life you and
obstacles to overcome in life you and
obstacles to overcome in life you and you alone are the only one who can push
you alone are the only one who can push
you alone are the only one who can push past the artificial boundaries you have
past the artificial boundaries you have
past the artificial boundaries you have set up for yourself to help others and
set up for yourself to help others and
set up for yourself to help others and change the world with hard work
change the world with hard work
change the world with hard work determination and confidence in yourself
determination and confidence in yourself
determination and confidence in yourself you can achieve much more than you know
you can achieve much more than you know
you can achieve much more than you know thank you
thank you
thank you [Applause]
”
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