IGotThis

I'm Emma Slotka, the creator of IGotThis. I am 16 years old and I was inspired to make this website when I was asked to be a part of a program called School of Future. Over 100 days, students are asked to solve a problem in the world. I immediately knew I needed to do something close to my heart so that I could put every part of myself into my work. With that, I chose to make a website for people fighting cancer, their family and friends, and anyone else in the community that is a part of the support system and there for the journey. This website was inspired by my personal experience of watching my mom go through cancer when I was a little girl. When I was 8 years old, my mom was diagnosed with an aggressive estrogen receptive breast cancer. Watching the strongest person in your life go through such a thing is something that engraves itself into your mind and stays with you. While going through it, theres nothing more that I wish I had than a 24/7 support system of people who understood what it is like to witness someone you love go through cancer, but also have people who understand what it is like to be the cancer patient. Because of this, I wanted to create a safe space where people who are going through cancer, have gone through cancer, family and friends who are witnessing someone go through it, and family and friends who have witnessed someone go through it can feel like they are understood. Talking to people who don't know what it's like to go through it can be nice to get things off your chest, but having strangers that become a second family to you because they understand you is the greatest feeling I've ever felt. All across the world millions and millions of people are affected either directly or indirectly by cancer in some way, shape, or form. I hope for this platform to be used to give you, along with the other millions and millions of people, a place to tell your story, share your progress, ask questions you have, tell people about your day, relate to people, anything. I want to know all about you, and there are many others who want to also! There is an amazing community waiting to learn about you, listen to what you have to say, and to share their own stories... so what are you waiting for?