The Path Forward: Peter’s Story

Peter describes it like this: “Many of us have done this: You’re not feeling well, and you don’t know why. So, you look up your symptoms on WebMD to see what’s up.”  

Peter was seventeen years old when he typed in his list of issues. He’d noticed a lump on his neck, among other concerns, so off to Google he went. There was a long list of possible culprits, but anyone who’s done the whole Google-Your-Symptoms thing knows that, often, every single possible symptom has a long list of every possible issue.  

“And at the very bottom of the list,” said Peter, “is that one scary, isolating word.”  

Cancer.  

Peter saw that word — cancer — and didn’t want to think about it. It wasn’t real. He didn’t even want to say the word.  

The Scary Reality

Peter and his dad.

His dad reassured him. It probably wasn’t that. He told Peter not to worry about it and that everything would be fine. 

“And I thought, yeah, he’s right. What’s the likelihood of it being cancer?” Peter recalled.

But as Peter underwent more diagnostics — MRIs, CAT scans, biopsies — his care team was trailing down that path, coming ever closer to that life-altering reality.  

Reviewing the results of the biopsy with his dad, Peter received the official diagnosis:  

Nasopharyngeal Cancer, a rare nose, mouth, and throat cancer.  

“Everything crashed down,” Peter said. “I remember standing in the bathroom with my dad, the both of us sobbing. The word I didn’t want to say aloud was now my reality. It was real. And all I could do was cry.”  

A New Friend

In March 2019, he began treatment at Randall Children’s Hospital. The last half of his school year was gone, as he was dealing with chemotherapy and radiation treatments.  

“I often felt alone and exhausted,” he said. “I wanted things to be the way they were — to be with my friends, my family, my church, and my classmates. Even though I had their support, I was so sad and so scared.”  

But then something happened that would change his life: he saw a JoyRx Mentorship flyer on the wall and decided to give it a try.  

“I was actually pretty anxious before the first meeting,” he admitted. “A stranger is coming into my hospital room, a place where I feel vulnerable and alone!”  

Peter and his JoyRx Mentor Vlad.

Peter knew that the JoyRx Mentor had good intentions, but he worried about how they would connect. How would they relate? Did this mentor even like talking to teenagers?  

“Turns out, I didn’t have to worry,” Peter said. “Because in walked Vlad.”  

Vlad was Peter’s new JoyRx Mentor, a companion he could rely on during his time in treatment. And the first thing they did upon meeting?  

“We talked and talked and talked,” said Peter. “And it was great. It was as simple as that!” 

Vlad and Peter spent their time playing card games, chatting about art, and answering questions back and forth to get to know one another. Every time Vlad knocked on the door, Peter couldn’t help but smile.  

“My family, friends, and nurses tried to connect with me through my diagnosis,” he explained. “And I love them, but Vlad connected directly with me. It was different.”  

With Vlad, Peter felt truly seen and heard. His friendship was unconditional. Peter never had to worry about being the best version of himself. If he was feeling bad or irritable because of a bad round of chemo or a strong reaction to steroids, he knew it would be okay if he told Vlad to come back another day.  

“There was no pressure, no pretense,” he said. “He simply understood. He was there for me, however I needed him.”  

Because of JoyRx — because of Vlad — Peter didn’t feel alone.  

Finding Community

Peter also found community with JoyRx in other ways, too. He says he’ll always cherish his time at the Alexandra Ellis Caring Cabin, as part of JoyRx Nature.  

“Being within those walls was really powerful and refreshing,” said Peter. “I felt connected again — to the natural world and to my loved ones. It was emotional to walk down the trail leading to the lake and see hundreds and hundreds of stones — all placed by the people who had been on this path before me.”  

Peter’s stone at the Caring Cabin.

A longstanding tradition at the Caring Cabin, visitors are given a stone with their name and the date of their visit. The children who visit are then able to place the stone anywhere on the property they wish. As a result, the grounds are lined with these stones, each one marking the unique journey of a child JoyRx has served.  

“I saw my friends’ names from treatment on that trail,” Peter explained, “and those of people I’d never met. And I added my name, my stone, to the path.”  

It was a powerful moment for Peter, to add his stone along the path.  

“I know that part of me is always going to be part of that place now,” he said. “With all of the other children and teens who have been and will be on this journey. The Caring Cabin is a place where all of us know, without a doubt, that we are not alone.” 

Finding His Path

So where did the path bring Peter next?  

With the love, support, and solidarity of so many people, Peter is grateful to say that he made it through treatment and is now a proud cancer survivor.  

“I had learned a lot from the experience,” he said. “I knew I wanted to exemplify the support that Vlad showed me. I knew that I, too, wanted to bring joy to others and give back to my community.”   

Peter reunites with his care team at Randall Children’s Hospital… now as a fellow nurse! 

Peter began school at George Fox University, where he studied to become a pediatric oncology nurse. 

As part of his final clinical practice capstone, he was welcomed back with open arms by the very nurses and doctors who remembered him at Randall Children’s Hospital.  

“It was an incredible full-circle moment to return to the place where I fought cancer, this time as a nurse,” he said. And as of November 2024, Peter began his residency as a nurse. 

Coming Back Full Circle

There’s another important way that he decided to walk alongside other children facing what he went through: Peter is a proud JoyRx Mentor.   

Peter’s mentee is a nine-year-old boy. While the two graduated from their match in February 2024 after his mentee completed treatment, Peter is eagerly waiting to be matched again.  

Peter and his mentee. 

“The months we spent together as mentor and mentee gave me deeper insight into Vlad’s role in my life,” Peter said. “I remember what he did for me: to show up and just be there. So, I was. I was there for my mentee and let him set the pace while we played Legos and games, building rapport and trust together.”  

Today, Peter feels lucky that he can focus on what brings him joy: spending time with loved ones, visiting new restaurants, and having a good acai bowl. He loves playing tennis and pickleball and painting acrylic or watercolor paintings. And, of course, he loves helping others. 

“When I walk the hallways of familiar hospitals to visit my mentee or do my rounds as a nurse, I feel the power of my community walking alongside me,” said Peter. “I know, with absolute certainty, that a small act of joy can change someone’s life. And I’m excited and humbled to be part of that — to help children know that they aren’t alone, that we’re here. That you believe in their joy, and I believe in their joy, and that no matter what, we are all here walking with them on this path.”

Peter and his family were recently honored guests at Wonderball Presents: Live From the Heart. Peter was one of our featured speakers and shared his story.