Most students are battling the hardships of balancing school and

extracurriculars, but for junior Rebecca Brimmage, she is battling something much

more.

On March 27, exactly one week after her birthday, Rebecca went to the ER

because she had been experiencing severe leg pains to the point where she couldn’t

tolerate sitting up in class. At first, she was hesitant to go, she had perfect

attendance, and she wanted to keep it that way. When she finally went, the

doctors found six small tumors on her bones, and the next day she returned to the

ER for a biopsy. On April 3rd she was diagnosed with Ewing’s Sarcoma—a rare form

of bone and tissue cancer.

Ewing’s Sarcoma, a group of cancers known collectively as the Ewing’s

Sarcoma family of tumors, also known as ESFT or EFT, is a rare form of bone cancer

that makes up 1% of childhood cancer. ESFT are tumors that form in bone or soft

tissues, typically found on long bones such as leg or arm or bones in the chest,

pelvis, spine or skull. It happens when a change occurs in a certain cell to move a

gene called EWS on chromosome number 22 next to a section of DNA, on one of

several other chromosomes that causes the gene to turn on. No one knows why it

happens, it is not hereditary, and it occurs after the child is born. ESFT is commonly

missed in the early stages because the symptoms which include pain and swelling,

fever, and/or bones that easily break, can cause the same symptoms as many

common illnesses.

For Rebecca, staying positive isn’t hard, she is very thankful for her families

financial status and the short distance from her home to the hospital.

“Some patients have to drive across the state to get to the hospital,” said

Brimmage. “When you’re going to the hospital 2-3 times a week all of the driving can

really add up.”

Dealing with this isn’t easy, you find out who really are supportive in not only

the good times, but in the bad. Luckily, she has two best friends that help her keep a

healthy outlook on life. Her two best friends, juniors Jordan Westendorff and Tessa

Eckeberger have come to visit her during all of her 13 treatments, sometimes even

spending the night in her hospital room with her.

Going through high school in general is a rollercoaster, especially when you

add frequent trips to the doctors, chemotherapy and having to balance the pressure

and stress of junior year. Yet, Rebecca has the most positive outlook over the

majority of the junior/senior classes. She doesn’t have a negative outlook but

instead, she goes out and enjoys the world by looking for the positive in everything.

Talking to Rebecca really opened my eyes to how negative people are when

complaining about course loads and extracurriculars, when many people have so

much more to worry about. So many people complain about having to attend school

events, when some of the kids who want to go are even too sick to go to school.

“Lastly I am so grateful to have been able to continue school and

retain such a healthy outlook on life,” Brimmage said. “Fortunately, I tolerate my

chemotherapy treatment much better than most other patients, and I bounce back

really quickly so I haven’t missed a significant amount of school. My teachers are

super supportive and helpful so although I have to do most (if not all) assignments

in some classes it really isn’t hard to balance. It has become the new normal.”

13 chemotherapy treatments later, Rebecca still has a positive outlook

on life. Even with the constant scans and treatments, she knows she has her best

friends who will always be there for her.

“It has been one of the most eye-opening experiences that you cannot

gain unless you go through a catastrophic event like this,” said Brimmage. “I have

learned so much about myself and about what I hope to do with my future. Although

no kid should have to go through anything like this I am continually searching for

the good things to come of this. In a way I have lost a part of my childhood but in

other ways I have been taught so much about the importance and true meaning of

life; for that I am grateful.”