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My Name is Drew Olanoff and I'm a Geek with Cancer

Jun 30, 2009 by Guest

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My name is Drew Olanoff. And I am a geek.

On May 20th, 2009 I became something else. I was diagnosed with Stage 3 Hodgkins Lymphoma. .

I’m now a geek fighting cancer.

Drew Olanoff

Before I was officially diagnosed, I knew something was not right. I discovered a lump on my neck that was growing. Even though I felt fine…it just wasn’t right. I then discovered a lump on my shoulder. These were lymph nodes reacting to my Hodgkins Lymphoma.

I started blaming my undiagnosed cancer on whatever I could. Lost keys, the Phillies losing, my clothes not being dry.

I had just been hired as Director of Community at the mobile startup GOGII and planned on moving to Los Angeles. From my home in San Francisco, I went home to visit family in Philadelphia and on the advice of my mom who is a nurse, I visited my family Dr.

My life changed forever.

I thought to myself….this is it, it’s over. My health, my life, the job, my hopes and dreams. Gone.

I was wrong, I feel like I can now start living.

GOGII told me I was a part of their family, to go beat this thing, and that my place within the company was secure.

My family and friends told me they were behind me 110%.

My Dr’s told me we would beat this thing.

LIVESTRONG reached out to me immediately and offered whatever advice and support they could.

I felt alive and protected, and surrounded by heart.

My friend Mike Demers, a talented engineer whom I worked with in Seattle, had been diagnosed with Hodgkins Lymphoma nearly 2 years ago. He beat it like a champ and we just found out he is 1 year clear. He’s a survivor, and I will be too. He helped take an idea and turn it into what you see today at www.BlameDrewsCancer

The premise is simple, we have to beat cancer into submission once and for all. One way to do that is to stand up against cancer, talk about it…discuss it….not whisper. So with our site, you can send a message to Twitter in the form of “I #BlameDrewsCancer for ___________”

We’ve seen everything from people blaming their cancer on mine, or blaming the fall of the stock market on my cancer. Someone even blamed my cancer for the band Nickelback. It was immediate and intense, and hasn’t stopped.

As of right now, 7,519 people have blamed my cancer for 13,024 things. My goal is to find a sponsor or sponsors who will donate $1 to LIVESTRONG for each unique person who has blamed something on my cancer.

But that’s not all. Mike and I have a lot more in store to raise awareness, help research, and one day cure the thing that took many lives, including my grandmothers.

We will LIVESTRONG together.

I’m happy and proud to be fighting the fight with all of you.
—–
Drew Olanoff
blog: www.drewolanoff.com