An Open Letter to the APH Oncology Clinic

Recently, David Melnyk, a former patient of Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children spent some time reflecting on the ways life changes after cancer. As a childhood cancer survivor who just celebrated the five-year cancer-free mark, he shared the biggest changes he’s come across as an adult in this latest blog – Through the Eyes of a Childhood Cancer Survivor: 5 Ways Life Changes after Cancer – as well as an open letter to the Oncology Team at Arnold Palmer Hospital.

Read his letter below and and his full reflection on the Arnold Palmer Hospital Illuminate Blog.

To my incredible Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children Oncology Team,

I cannot thank you enough for all the love, support, tears, and laughs you’ve given my family and I over the years. You are the strongest team I have ever met and are so dear to all of us. Thank you for putting up with my teenage hormones, my parents’ anxiety, and all the rough days at work to make sure my days were as good as they could be. The fact that you did it with a smile- for years- is inspiring to me. Your work has made me a better person and has lead me to places I would otherwise never be. Want an example? Well, something tells me it’s no surprise that I ended up marrying a nurse!

We love you and thank you for everything!

David