Amanda's Story

My name is Amanda Kauffman and I just turned 20 and am entering my second year at Queen’s University.  

Two days before my 17th birthday, I was diagnosed with Stage 4 Diffuse Large B Cell, Non-Hodgkins lymphoma. I was immediately admitted to 

SickKids hospital in Toronto and spent almost six months there undergoing treatment, fighting this horrible disease. 

Prior to my diagnosis, I was a normal and very healthy teenager. In fact, I was an elite level athlete, participating on the Canadian junior national synchronized skating team which represented Canada internationally and at the junior world championships. One of the most difficult things for me to accept was that my cancer diagnosis meant I could not skate and train with my team.  While my friends were completing their grade 12 year and worrying about which university to attend, I was fighting for my life.  While my teammates spent hours practicing skills and routines, I was lying in a hospital bed barely able to move.