Pediatric cancer survival rates are a crowning medical achievement. But the impact of missing school is a less-discussed side effect children then face.

Summary

Cancer disrupted EJ Beck and Brendan Harley’s childhoods, forcing them to endure isolation, academic setbacks, and emotional struggles.

Beck, now a medical student, and Harley, a biochemical engineer, have turned their experiences into missions to fight cancer—Beck by pursuing medicine at the hospital where she was treated, and Harley by developing targeted cancer treatments.

Their stories reflect the lasting impacts of pediatric cancer on identity and education, highlighting the need for support systems during and after treatment to help survivors rebuild their lives.