Teen gives back after own cancer
Sixteen-year-old Grant Foster was just two years old when diagnosed with leukemia. Three years of treatments, hospitalization and quarantining followed. He eventually won the battle and is rebuilding his life with a bright future on his radar.
Two years ago, he started growing his hair out. As the hair grew long, his father and stepmom thought he was “expressing himself.” Grant said instead he was growing it long so he could donate it to Locks for Love, a nonprofit organization that provides wigs for cancer patients.
“Cancer sucks and there isn’t a lot I can do right now to give back, or pay it forward,” Grant said. “But I can donate this hair to someone who goes bald from cancer treatment. I know cancer is hard, and life altering, and even though this is something small, it is my hope that my hair will go to making someone more comfortable in their bodies, especially while the treatments are so life altering.”
He said he just wants that whoever gets a wig made from his donated hair to know they aren’t alone.
“I want them to feel good about themselves and not feel self conscious about their looks,” Grand said. “Many of us lose our hair when we undergo chemo and radiation. For the last two years I’ve grown my hair out so I could donate it.”
Cheyenne Bachelier and Grant Foster
Grant said he was excited when he was able to get into Canyon Lake Hair Design, where Cheyenne Bachelier cut his hair and put the two long cut pieces into ponytails, ready for him to send off to Locks for Love.
“The whole process was great,” Grant said. “Cheyenne talked with me for a few minutes, helping me pick a new style that I would be comfortable with. Cheyenne said she would cut it anyway I wanted, however, since I haven’t had short hair in a couple of years, she didn’t want me to feel like, ‘What the hell did I do?’, because of the drastic change. She helped me find a style that fits me and one I would feel comfortable with. I love my new haircut.”
Grant said that with June being National Cancer Survivor Month that he wanted to share his cancer story. He wants to bring awareness to the fact that kids everyday are taken to doctors and hospitals and are being diagnosed with cancer.
In his own words, this is Grant’s story:
I was diagnosed with leukemia when I was just two years old. I don’t remember too much about my battle, but my parents do and I’d like to share some of the things they told me about my fight to live.
Grant said he was excited to have his hair cut after 2 years. Photo by Dawn Rankins
I was born in 2006 and in 2008 my mom started noticing bruises on me. She and Dad talked to my daycare provider and asked her to watch me a little more closely, which she did. It wasn’t too much longer after that conversation with my daycare provider that my parents noticed my stomach was enlarged. They took me to the doctor and that’s when the news came, the news that would forever change our lives.
I had an enlarged spleen and liver, and, of course, with modern technology, my parents were able to go online and research what that meant. They were pretty confident what the diagnosis would be, so it came as no surprise when the doctor told them, “your son has leukemia.”
The shock, though, still hit them like a ton of bricks. They said no parent, no matter how prepared they are, are truly prepared to hear that their child has cancer.
The next three years for me meant chemo, radiation and being quarantined from other kids. I spent so much time in the hospital, it was my home for a while.
When I was able to go home, I couldn’t go out and play because of my compromised immune system, which barely existed. My parents, especially my dad, made sure to bring me home lots of new Legos. Those Legos kept me busy and created a real love for building intricate things. The more challenging, the better.
No turning back now. Photo by Dawn Rankins
When I was diagnosed with cancer, the statistics showed that every four minutes a doctor tells a patient they have a form of blood cancer. Worse than that, every 10 minutes a patient dies because of blood cancer.
My dad is my hero. He taught me that I shouldn’t ask, “Why me?”, but, instead, “What can I do with the lessons I’ve learned from having cancer?”
My dad tells me about the wonderful caretakers, doctors and nurses I had. He calls them angels. He said if anyone doubts there are angels among us, then he is more than happy to introduce you to them.
I still have things that come up as a residual from my cancer and I have to take those challenges one day at a time. And that’s okay. I have a great support system at home with my family.
My cancer didn’t, nor does it now, define me. I really don’t remember much about it, other than what I’m told. I was told that I had to learn to crawl, stand and walk all over again. To this day, 11 years later, I still have a hard time using regular utensils when I eat. The metal sound against my teeth is like fingernails on a chalkboard. Loud noises bother me, too. Though I like people, it’s still hard for me in large crowds.
I live with my dad full time, so he has to make sure I see my doctors once a year. I have to have my heart checked because there was some damage that was caused by having leukemia.
I think we kids are a little more resilient than our parents at times, especially when they have to see their children be poked and prodded when they are too little to understand what’s being done to them.
Sometimes cancer destroys families, however, it can make us a stronger and more compassionate people.
I don’t remember everything about my battle, but my parents do. I was lucky enough to have them fight my battle with me. Even though they are a part now, we did fight the battle together and we won.
I’m 16 years old, I’m going to be a junior in high school and I want to be an engineer when I graduate college. I enjoy a close-knit family and friends and I love to play video games. Right now, I’m taking on the challenge of building a model airplane. I enjoy anything and everything StarWars and I’m learning pickleball.
I’m one of the lucky ones who won their battle. I don’t want to take that for granted because I know there are so many other kids and adults who don’t survive and I don’t want their battle to be in vain. I want to live my life paying it forward. Growing and donating this hair is just the beginning.