Life on Pause

Twenty-one years ago, Brady Lucas walked into Penn State Health Children's Hospital as an eight-year-old with acute lymphoblastic leukemia. He was treated for thirty-nine months. He relapsed at thirteen. His younger brother Sean donated the bone marrow that saved his life.He finished treatment in July 2008 — and never rang the bell, because the hospital did not introduce one until around 2013.On September 2nd, 2026, he came back to Hershey to give the keynote at the first Childhood Cancer Awareness event the hospital has ever held. In the audience were the nurses who treated him at eight, two of whom drove in for the night. One of them had been his nurse both times he was diagnosed, in the same room, five years apart.This episode is about what he said, and about what the people in that room said back. It is also about a sixteen-year-old named Lacey, who designed this year's awareness artwork from a coloring book she brought to chemotherapy.And it is about a bell that nobody planned to ring.Life on Pause is produced by Penn State Health and supported by Four Diamonds. New episodes monthly on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube.Watch the full episode on YouTubePenn State Health AYA Cancer ProgramLearn more about Four Diamonds

When Vivienne Connor was fourteen, she found a lump under her arm and told her mom she didn't think it was anything. By that fall she had a diagnosis: Stage 2 Hodgkin's Lymphoma.She did everything a cancer story is supposed to do. Three rounds of chemotherapy through the winter. A clear PET scan on March 7th. A bell on the wall of the oncology floor, her mom in the room and her dad on FaceTime. From the outside, it looked exactly like an ending.Eighteen months later, a routine checkup turned into nine months of surgeries, mixed pathology results, and a specialist consult — and it never resolved into a clear answer. There was no second bell. Vivienne was told to watch her own body for anything that shouldn't be there and, in her words, to "figure it out for myself."In this episode of Life on Pause, Vivienne shares what survivorship actually looks like when nobody hands you an ending — and what she built instead. A business fraternity at Penn State that adopted her before they ever met her. A THON shirt she designed as a high school senior, built from her family's road trips and a camera roll full of sunsets. And a marathon in April where the last six miles taught her something her medical record never could.This episode is part of our Childhood Cancer Awareness Month coverage. It is also a companion to "Put It In The Freezer," our fertility preservation episode with Vivienne and her mom Meg.Life on Pause is produced by Penn State Health and supported by Four Diamonds. New episodes monthly on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube.Watch the full episode on YouTubePenn State Health AYA Cancer ProgramLearn more about Four Diamonds

When Alicia Dixon's son Dakota was six, a headache and a facial droop sent them to the ER. She read his CT results off her own phone before the doctors reached the room — and knew, with her medical background, exactly what she was looking at. It was an aggressive brain cancer, and there was no time to waste.In this episode of Life on Pause, Alicia tells Dakota's story herself — the seven-year-old "spitfire genius" he was before cancer, the eight months and three stem-cell transplants that followed, and the moment a Four Diamonds social worker told her she'd never see a bill. She shares the hardest parts too: her son telling her he was going to die before she was ready to hear it, the peace she found in his final days, and the care package he dreamed up from his hospital bed for the kids in the rooms around him — the Dakota Duffel, "and don't forget my Jesus doll."Dakota died on May 13, 2024, at seven years old. His mom won't call it losing. The movement his wish became, Dakota's Army, is now tens of thousands strong — and still sending duffels to families across the country.We're sharing this episode for National Bereaved Parents Month. It touches on the death of a child; please listen with care. And know that Alicia shared all of it so another family might feel a little less alone.Life on Pause is produced by Penn State Health and supported by Four Diamonds — which covers 100% of childhood cancer care costs insurance doesn't, so eligible families never receive a bill. New episodes monthly on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube.Watch the full episode on YouTubeFollow Dakota's Army on FacebookLearn more about Four Diamonds

When Vivienne Connor was diagnosed with Stage 2 Hodgkin's Lymphoma at fourteen years old, her family faced two conversations almost simultaneously — one about cancer treatment, and one about her future fertility. The decision had to happen fast, before chemotherapy could begin.In this episode of Life on Pause, Vivienne and her mom Meg share what it was like to navigate fertility preservation during one of the most overwhelming moments of their lives — including Christmas Day appointments, daily hormone injections before school, and a fourteen-year-old watching her own egg retrieval on a projection screen in real time. Dr. Yifei Liu, IVF Lab Director at Penn State Health, walks us through what actually happens in the lab, what the success rates look like for young cancer patients, and why a cancer diagnosis does not mean fertility preservation is out of reach.Four years later, Vivienne is a Penn State freshman and marathon runner. The eggs are still there. And the conversations are just beginning.This episode is part of our National Infertility Awareness Week coverage and AYA Cancer Awareness Month — because for adolescent and young adult cancer patients, these two realities are deeply connected.Life on Pause is produced by Penn State Health and supported by Four Diamonds. New episodes monthly on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube.Watch the full episode on YouTubePenn State Health Fertility Preservation ProgramLearn more about Four Diamonds

🎥 VIDEO EPISODE NOTE: This story was made for video and includes powerful visual moments from both sides of the THON 2026 Hospital-to-THON Bridge — from patient rooms at Penn State Health Children's Hospital to the floor of the Bryce Jordan Center. Watch the full episode on YouTube for the complete experience.— — —Every year, THON happens for the kids who can't be there. This year, THON came to them.Delaney Clemens is sixteen years old. A two-sport varsity athlete — field hockey and lacrosse — she played a game on a Wednesday in March. By Friday, she was at Penn State Health Children's Hospital. Four days later, she was diagnosed with High-Risk B-Cell Leukemia. Her world, as she put it, changed in a split second.This THON Weekend, Delaney's room was connected to the Bryce Jordan Center through a live remote bridge — bringing the full THON experience directly to inpatients who couldn't attend. Line dances, the white-out pep rally, the Penn State Drum Major and Majorette, a pairing reveal, and the live number announcement — all of it, streamed to patient rooms in real time.And at the end of the weekend, when it was time to say goodbye, Delaney looked at the screen and said something that stopped the room."See you next year."In this episode of Life on Pause, we tell Delaney's story alongside Emmett Herring — who was in that same hospital room last year during THON, and this year walked into the Bryce Jordan Center for the first time.In this episode:• The Hospital-to-THON live bridge and how it works• The Wednesday hospital visit — the Drum Major, Majorette, Penn State Bingo, and line dance teachers who came to the inpatient unit three days before THON Weekend• The pairing reveal: a THON organization meeting their Four Diamonds family through a screen• The THON 2026 number reveal — watched live from both locations• What it means to belong to a community when you can't be in the room💙 Life on Pause is produced in partnership with Penn State Health Children's Hospital and Four Diamonds.🎧 Subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and wherever you listen to podcasts.📺 Watch the full video on YouTube — search "Life on Pause."Learn more: https://www.lifeonpausepodcast.com

At twenty years old, Eliot Dean was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia. For weeks, his world shrank to a single hospital floor he couldn't leave — a window with a good view, a lot of sunsets, and the slow, difficult work of getting through treatment.Five years later, in remission, Eliot thought the worst was behind him. Then routine blood work came back suspicious. Same markers. Same diagnosis. A different kind of fear.In this episode of Life on Pause, Eliot shares what no one tells you about facing leukemia twice — and what it means to fight it the second time, when you already know how hard it is. He talks about the stem cell transplant that saved his life, the brother who made it possible, the bell he rang on the other side, and the trip to Costa Rica he'd been putting off for too long.Eliot speaks honestly about the "not knowing" — the statistics, the survival rates, the questions he demanded answers to because he wasn't willing to be a passive patient. He talks about THON, Four Diamonds, and the full-circle moment of realizing the organization his sister fundraised for as a student became his lifeline as a patient. And he shares the philosophy he's carried out of the other side: don't wait. Don't be scared.His story isn't about one diagnosis. It's about two — and everything that changed between them.Thank you, Eliot, for sharing your story and your strength.Topics Covered:• Being diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia at age 20• Life on a single hospital floor — confinement, coping, and small freedoms• The relapse — facing the same diagnosis five years later• The stem cell transplant and his brother Collin as the donor• Self-advocacy and demanding to understand your own treatment• THON and Four Diamonds — a full-circle community story• Ringing the bell — the second time• Life after cancer: Costa Rica, not waiting, taking it day by day• What he'd tell the version of himself who was twenty and newly diagnosedAbout Life on Pause:Life on Pause is a podcast for and by young adults with cancer. Produced by Penn State Health's AYA Oncology Program, each episode is rooted in honest storytelling and community connection. Our content is reviewed by medical and psychosocial experts to ensure accuracy and care.Join Our Community:💻 Website: https://www.lifeonpausepodcast.com/🎧 Subscribe on Spotify & Apple PodcastsContent Warning: This episode contains discussions of cancer diagnosis, relapse, stem cell transplant, and the emotional weight of facing a life-threatening illness more than once.

🎥 VIDEO EPISODE NOTE: This story was created for video and includes incredible visual moments from THON Weekend — from walking through Penn State's player cheer tunnel to experiencing the energy of 16,500 students in the Bryce Jordan Center. For the full experience, watch on YouTube: [LINK]When Grace Schneider was diagnosed with B-cell leukemia in 2020, her family discovered something unexpected: Penn State's THON — the largest student-run philanthropy in the world, where students stand for 46 hours straight to support children fighting pediatric cancer.This is their third year experiencing THON Weekend, and in this episode, we follow Grace's family through an incredible weekend of Family Explorers programs. Her father Ben reflects on how the compassion and caring of college students humbles him every year. Her brother Brooks shares what it means to "beat cancer along with my sister, even though I didn't have it." And young adult cancer survivor Eliot Dean describes the energy that feeds him each time he returns.From touring Penn State's football facility and meeting players like Nicholas Singleton, to walking through the player cheer tunnel, to experiencing the 46-hour dance marathon at the Bryce Jordan Center — THON Weekend creates connections that last far beyond one weekend. Ben shares how both his kids now dream of attending Penn State and playing sports here, inspired by the college students who showed up for them.Brooks talks about what it meant to support his sister through treatment — sending cards, texts saying "get well soon, keep fighting" — and how THON volunteers became his connection too. Eliot, who has been attending since 2016 despite his diagnosis at age 20 and relapse five years later, explains what "taking the long way around" really means when you're living with cancer.Behind it all is Four Diamonds at Penn State Health Children's Hospital, which ensures families never receive a single bill for their child's cancer treatment. Since 1977, THON has raised over $254 million to cover every cost not paid by insurance — and the support extends far beyond finances.This isn't just a story about a dance marathon. It's about community, hope, and what happens when 16,500 students decide to stand up for kids who can't.Topics Covered:What THON is and how the 46-hour dance marathon worksFamily Explorers programs across Penn State's campusThe sibling perspective on childhood cancer ("I beat cancer too")How THON inspires kids fighting cancer to dream biggerWalking through Penn State football's player cheer tunnelMeeting Penn State athletes and building lasting connectionsWhat Four Diamonds covers beyond medical billsHow college students create community for cancer familiesLiving as a young adult cancer survivor and returning to THON year after yearGrace's journey from leukemia diagnosis to thriving todayAbout Life on Pause: Life on Pause is a podcast for and by young adults with cancer. Produced by Penn State Health's AYA Oncology Program and Four Diamonds, each episode is rooted in honest storytelling and community connection. Our content is reviewed by medical and psychosocial experts to ensure accuracy and care.Join Our Community: Website: https://www.lifeonpausepodcast.com/ Subscribe on Spotify & Apple Podcasts Learn more about THON: https://thon.org Four Diamonds: https://fourdiamonds.orgFeatured Voices:Ben Schneider - Father of Grace, diagnosed with B-cell leukemia in 2020Brooks Schneider - Grace's brother, age 12Eliot Dean - Young adult cancer survivor, THON attendee since 2016

What happens when treatment ends but the journey continues? For young adult cancer survivors, the ringing of the bell marks not an ending, but the beginning of something more complex — survivorship.In this powerful episode of Life on Pause, five young women who participated in Penn State Health Children's Hospital's inaugural PhotoVoice project come together to share their experiences using photography to tell the stories they struggled to put into words. Facilitated by social worker Meredith Noel and art therapist Alexis Steefel, this program gave childhood cancer survivors a space to explore themes of impact, visibility, loss and found, time, and "here."Monica Henderson (rhabdomyosarcoma, 20+ years post-treatment) shares how PhotoVoice helped her break decades of silence and honor "little Monica" who never got to share her story. Gabriela (Hodgkin's lymphoma, 4 years post-treatment) describes finding community after feeling isolated as the first in her family diagnosed with cancer. Shelly Bliss (Ewing's sarcoma, 11 years post-treatment) reflects on photographing her prosthetics as a powerful measure of time and healing.From Monica's dish soap bubbles representing "visibly invisible" survivorship to Lily's peeling paint symbolizing layers of untold stories, each photograph became a window into experiences that too often go unspoken. The participants discuss the pressure to package their stories with "a pretty little bow," the struggle to own the term "survivor," and the transformative power of finally being heard and understood.This isn't just a story about cancer — it's about sisterhood formed through shared truth, the courage to be vulnerable, and the healing that happens when survivors can tell their whole story, not just the inspirational parts.Topics Covered:The PhotoVoice methodology and five weekly themes (Impact, Visibility, Lost & Found, Time, Here)Why survivors struggle to own their narratives and the term "survivor"The gallery exhibition at Penn State Health and family reactionsSibling dynamics, twin relationships, and invisible traumaSurvivor's guilt and the pressure to be gratefulLiving with late effects and ongoing health challengesThe moment they decided to ring the bell together — on their own termsHow photography gave voice to what words couldn't expressBuilding a survivorship community for the futureFeatured Participants:Lily Montgomery (Host) - Acute lymphoblastic leukemia survivorMonica Henderson - Rhabdomyosarcoma survivor, 26 years oldGabriela (Gabby) - Hodgkin's lymphoma survivor, 21 years oldShelly Bliss - Ewing's sarcoma survivor, 20 years oldMeredith Noel - Social Worker and PhotoVoice Program FacilitatorAbout Life on Pause: Life on Pause is a podcast for and by young adults with cancer. Produced by Penn State Health's AYA Oncology Program, each episode is rooted in honest storytelling and community connection. Our content is reviewed by medical and psychosocial experts to ensure accuracy and care.Join Our Community: 💻 Website: https://www.lifeonpausepodcast.com/ 🎧 Subscribe on Spotify & Apple Podcasts

What does health maintenance really mean when you're a young adult cancer survivor? Eliot and Hailey—both acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) survivors—share the reality of life after treatment: checkups every six months, school accommodations for brain damage, mental health boundaries that weren't optional before, and learning which exercises won't break bones weakened by chemotherapy.Recorded at Life Lion Emergency Services in Hershey, Pennsylvania, this episode draws a powerful parallel between maintaining emergency helicopters and maintaining your own health after cancer. Just like mechanics check every system before a helicopter flies, young adult survivors must maintain their mental health, physical health, reproductive health, and everything in between.In this honest conversation, Eliot opens up about his journey through diagnosis at age 20, achieving remission, experiencing relapse, and receiving a life-saving bone marrow transplant from his brother. He shares how cancer taught him to "cut out the BS," pace himself, and recognize that slow and steady wins the race.Hailey, diagnosed at 12 in February 2020 right before COVID lockdown, discusses living with brain damage from treatment—dead brain cells in two lobes that affect her memory, dexterity, and processing speed. Despite doctors telling her she's "performing too well for how damaged her brain is," she thrives using accommodations like dictation software and extended time. She shares the painful moment someone called her cancer diagnosis "just a break" from field hockey, and how she learned to set boundaries to protect her mental health.Topics Covered:• Redefining health maintenance after cancer (mental + physical)• Setting boundaries to protect mental health post-treatment• Living with treatment-related brain damage and school accommodations• The "gray area" of young adult cancer—too old for pediatric, too young for adult care• Cancer imposter syndrome: not looking "sick enough"• Physical fitness adaptations (bad bones, limited dexterity, ongoing symptoms)• Reproductive health challenges and Four Diamonds support• Family support for ongoing medical appointments• Finding community in the AYA cancer space• How cancer sparked curiosity about oncology and neuroscienceAbout Life on Pause: Life on Pause is a podcast for and by young adults with cancer. Produced by Penn State Health's AYA Oncology Program, each episode is rooted in honest storytelling and community connection. Our content is reviewed by medical and psychosocial experts to ensure accuracy and care.Join Our Community:💻 Website: https://www.lifeonpausepodcast.com/🎧 Subscribe on Spotify & Apple Podcasts

When a Life Lion flight nurse saves a teenager's life, he never expects to meet him again. Ten years later, that young man returns—not as a patient, but as a father—to say thank you.Ten-year-old William, a leukemia survivor, discovers a new dream while exploring a Life Lion helicopter: "I may want to be a helicopter mechanic." Maria, a Wilms tumor survivor, remembers the kindness of her transport crew. And Lisa Kreider shares a stunning revelation: Life Lion saved her life sixteen years ago after a car accident—then saved her daughter Maria during cancer treatment.But the emotional center belongs to Dan Schaeffer, Life Lion's Chief Flight Nurse. At a recent fundraiser, a young man approached him: "Thank you for taking care of me." Dan didn't recognize the face. Then came the moment: "I want to introduce you to my family and kids."Ten years ago, Dan transported a seventeen-year-old with a traumatic brain injury. Today, that teenager is a father."You don't think about those things in the moment," Dan reflects. "That hit really home to me. This is what I do. This is why I do it."This episode follows Four Diamonds families to Life Lion EMS Day, where the people doing the rescuing get to see what happened next. From Dexter McConnell, a pilot who flies in weather others turn down, to Matt Baily, who treats "the sickest of the sick"—this is a story about profound connections and the impact that ripples out in ways we can't imagine.Topics Covered:William's journey from leukemia patient to aspiring helicopter mechanicMaria's Wilms tumor treatment and Life Lion transportLisa's revelation: two generations saved by the same teamDan Shcaeffer's emotional reunion with a patient ten years laterThe challenges of flying Life Lion: weather, training, and split-second decisionsLife Lion EMS Day: teaching kids that aircraft maintenance parallels their own healthcareThe "Life Lion Family" culture of support and camaraderieMatt Baily's story of the Lancaster infant in cardiac arrestFour Diamonds' role in removing financial burden for cancer familiesHow life-saving work ripples out in ways we can't imagineAbout Life on Pause: Life on Pause is a podcast for and by young adults with cancer. Produced by Penn State Health's AYA Oncology Program, each episode is rooted in honest storytelling and community connection. Our content is reviewed by medical and psychosocial experts to ensure accuracy and care.Join Our Community: 💻 Website: https://www.lifeonpausepodcast.com/ 🎧 Subscribe on Spotify & Apple Podcasts