My name is Paulina and my mom was diagnosed with cancer in 2021 when I was just 4 years old.

It was very scary for me.

A few things that I remember are when we went into my back yard and my dad shaved my mom’s head. I saw the whole process. You put your hair in two braids and then my dad chopped them off. Then he took the shaver and stated shaving her head. When I saw my mom’s bald head, I thought, “Oh my gosh”. I was kind of laughing the entire time. I remember my mom was super scared but she was also laughing the entire time.  She would always wear colorful bandanas on her head to cover up her head. For parties, she would wear this very cool purple wig. We still have that wig from when my mom wore it when she had cancer. Now her hair is all grown back but she didn’t grow it out as long as she had it before she shaved it. I think she is glad that she shaved her head instead of letting all of her hair just fall out the normal way when you take the special medicine. 

I also remember that me and my brother, Enzo, had to stay with my grandparents while my mom had chemo and my dad took care of her. I remember when my grandfather “Nonno” would say, “Do you want chocolate for breakfast?” and my grandma “Vovó” would say “What are you doing?” It was funny.

We made her a get well soon poster with markers and glitter glue. When I first saw her, she was sitting on a chair and I gave her a big hug and told her that I loved her so much.

I remember she would sit on the rocking chair with the little thing on her arm (a PICC line) and that I would carefully sit on her lap. 

If your mom is diagnosed with cancer, my advice is to not worry about it and that she will love you no matter what. Also, to keep your mind off of it, start with A and name 3 things that start with that letter and you keep going through the alphabet.  Also, if you have war heads or something really sour, you put it in your mouth and don’t take it out. The sourness will get your mind off of whatever you are thinking about.

I am so glad that she is done with treatment and that she is healthy and safe. I love being able to hug my mom, go shopping with her, baking, doing art, and sometimes stealing her phone.