Sarah Eisenberg
Hometown: Tinley Park, IL
University: Saint Mary's College
Major: Communication Studies
BIOGRAPHY
My name is Sarah, and I’ll be graduating in May from Saint Mary’s College. I am a Communication major from a suburb of Chicago, called Tinley Park. I live with my parents and sister, and I have the greatest extended family. I’ve traveled much of Europe and lived in Rome. I haven’t had an opportunity to see much of America. I cannot wait to see our country by bicycle this summer. I enjoy spending summers in Michigan, on the boat or on a bike. I enjoy football weekends at Notre Dame, traveling, good conversations, and good food. I enjoy my life, make the best of every day, and strive to help others be happy.
PERSONAL STATEMENT
When I consider my most poignant experiences with cancer, dates come to mind. February 13th, my 20th birthday, my Grandma Eisenberg called singing Happy Birthday. She sounded sick - said it was nothing to worry about. She went into the hospital on February 18th. On February 24th, my entire family celebrated her 70th birthday in her hospital room, drinking champaign, eating birthday cake and celebrating 70 beautiful years. That night she was diagnosed with Leukemia and Melanoma, a lethal combination. Along with the diagnosis came an even more earth shattering time frame of 4 to 6 weeks to live. On the night of her birthday, she started her first dose of chemotherapy. March 27th, after 4 weeks of fighting, she lost her battle to cancer. The following year, on June 1st, we celebrated my Grandma Keller’s birthday in her hospice room, an experience all too familiar. The following day, she ended her 5 year battle with lung cancer. I lost both of my amazing grandmas to cancer. I held my Grandma Keller’s hand as she passed away, and my Grandma Eisenberg told me I was one of her best friends. Cancer takes the lives of so many far too soon, leaving family, friends, and all those that came into contact with them heartbroken. Cancer has become a part of our daily lives. We live with the sickening realities of cancer every single day. I believe cancer can become a thing of the past, and that's why I am taking this ride.My ten year old cousin said it perfectly, “Cancer just sucks.”