I was diagnosed with cancer at age 27 and have since gone on to interview young adult cancer patients across the United States for my book Everything Changes: The Insider's Guide To Cancer In Your 20's and 30's.

A high number of young adults I spoke with said if they could go back to the beginning and choose whether or not to get cancer, they would choose to go through this again. I was shocked by these responses and firmly hold a contrary perspective. I certainly would choose to not have cancer had I known about it before hand.

I understand that my conversations are hypothetical; the young adults and I who were in conversation can not turn back time. And, even if we could go back, it is very different to know for certain you will get cancer versus being left with the nagging 80% odds that leave your mind in a horrific, perpetual limbo.

I want to say unequivocally that I do not envy Rudnick's dilemma. But, somedays I do.

Kairol Rosenthal
Everythingchangesbook.blogspot.com