Meet Genna, a 34-year-old woman originally from Nutley, New Jersey, now living in Mount Laurel. A lover of dancing, cooking, fitness, and journaling, Genna has always been full of energy and positivity — until one day, her world changed.

Her journey began back in March 2024, when she started experiencing dizzy spells, headaches, sore throats, and constant exhaustion. She went from doctor to doctor, hospital to hospital, hoping for answers. Each time, she was told her tests were normal. But deep down, Genna knew something was wrong. “I just didn’t feel like myself,” she recalled. “I knew my body, and I knew something was off.”

By early June, her symptoms worsened. One morning while walking her dog, her entire left side went numb. She couldn’t swallow, and her right arm began to tingle. Fearing she was having a heart attack, she rushed to the hospital. Doctors told her it was tonsillitis and that her lymph nodes were swollen — sending her home with medication and reassurance. But the very next day, the hospital called her back to discuss her results.

That phone call changed everything. They had found nodules on her thyroid. “Never in my life would I have thought I’d be diagnosed with cancer,” Genna shared. “But that wasn’t the end — it was just the beginning.”

A few weeks later, she could barely swallow. “I felt like I was drowning in fluid,” she said. She was rushed back to the hospital, where doctors inserted a scope down her throat — something the CT scan had missed. That’s when they found a tumor.

Genna was diagnosed not only with thyroid cancer, but also with stage 1 throat cancer. “I was completely beside myself,” she wrote. “How does this even happen? I never smoked a day in my life and rarely drank. In less than a month, I was told I had two different types of cancer.”

Her treatment plan began with steroids to reduce the swelling in her throat, tonsils, and lymph nodes. But because she is allergic to steroids, doctors had to administer them through an IV, monitoring her closely each week with blood work. Alongside that, she began chemotherapy twice a week.

By her last chemo treatment, however, her body began to reject it. “I ended up fainting and turning red-hot and sweaty,” she shared. “Then I got an infection in my eye.” Her care team made the difficult decision to stop chemotherapy and move forward with surgery to remove the tumor in her throat. Thankfully, the surgery was a success — doctors were able to remove the tumor completely.

Now, Genna is in the recovery stage, growing stronger each day. In November, she will go back for a scan to make sure the cancer in her throat is completely gone before starting her next phase of treatment for her thyroid.

Throughout this journey, the hardest part for Genna hasn’t been the procedures or the pain — it’s been the uncertainty. “For me, the biggest challenge was understanding the why — and the how,” she said. “Sleeping all day, not knowing when my body would feel normal again. The not knowing is what can drive you insane.”

Still, Genna continues to move forward with courage and heart. “My biggest inspiration to keep going is my family, my friends, and the things I love doing,” she said. “That’s what gives me the spark to keep going every day, even when it’s tough. I want to see my niece grow up and take her and my nephews for pizza when I visit. I want to help people who maybe aren’t as fortunate as I have it.”

Her hobbies keep her grounded — dancing for 15 minutes a day to keep her body moving, cooking nutritious meals, volunteering, writing, and journaling. “This experience has made me enjoy the small things,” she shared. “To be present in every moment and love what I put in my body.”

Her positivity radiates in everything she does. “Honestly, to keep going, not to give up on yourself — that’s everything. You, your body, is all you have. You have to take care of it as much as you can, even on the days you don’t want to. That’s when you have to.”

To stay grounded, she began a small routine that changed everything: every morning and night, she writes down three things she’s grateful for. “Such a small task changed my mindset completely,” she says. “In the midst of treatments, we are still alive and living. I even started writing notes in my phone every time something good happens to me.”

Her dream for the future is simple but powerful — to live fully. “My hopes and dreams for the future are to live, be happy, and be healthy,” she said. “Not just to wake up and go through the motions, but to live every day to the absolute fullest. Life can change in an instant. I want to help others battling not just cancer, but life’s messiness.”

Her message to others in the Fightstrong community is heartfelt:

“You will overcome these tough battles. Never take a day for granted. Love harder, laugh a little more, and appreciate the little things. ‘Live life.’ You can always untie those tough knots that life gives you.”

To bring comfort and peace during this part of her recovery, Fightstrong Foundation donated $1,150 worth of gift cards to Genna’s favorite stores — H&M, Express, Old Navy, and TJ Maxx — along with a spa gift card for a massage or any other relaxation experience she chooses. Genna had expressed her need for new clothes and a chance to unwind, and we were so happy to give her both.

We love you, Genna — your strength, your honesty, and your spirit embody what it means to fight strong. Thank you for reminding all of us to find joy, gratitude, and hope — even on the hardest days.