Junior accountancy major Aidan Fitzgerald isn’t worried about missing anything when he leaves campus to study abroad in Dublin this spring. He knows he will return. After all, Fitzgerald missed his sophomore year following a diagnosis of testicular cancer. After treatment, he returned the following year healthy and ready to share his experiences. In the chaos of his year away, Fitzgerald counted on the support of family and friends, who founded the charity group The Aidan Project to raise awareness about the prevalence of cancer, especially in young adults. Scholastic writer Caitlin Wilson sat down with Fitzgerald for an interview.
Scholastic: What inspired your friends to found The Aidan Project?
Aidan Fitzgerald: One of my friends was in charge of Circle K at the time, and they had an existing blanket-making project, but on a smaller scale. He called me up and asked what I thought about expanding. I told him it was a great idea. Physically, I thought it was a great idea because I lost all my hair, and the treatment made me cold all the time. But it’s also great to know that someone cares about you. Knott Hall and the Class of 2009 put everything together.
S: Did you expect The Aidan Project to be such an overwhelming success?
AF: I really thought it would just be my friends and the kids from my section who felt bad about it all. I didn’t expect such a big turnout. To see hundreds mobbing the floor making blankets — it was a pretty powerful sight. Last year we had to turn people away during peak hours, so we’re moving the event from the ballroom in LaFortune this year to a bigger area.
S: How did you find out you had cancer, and what was your initial reaction?
AF: Well, I was playing an interhall football game against Zahm when I got hurt. They took me to the hospital and did some tests and found that I had internal bleeding. I was young and in good shape, so I shouldn’t have had internal bleeding. My dad is a doctor, so he took a look at the scans. He saw that they could mean cancer, so he sent them to the hospital where he works. He made me take an at-home pregnancy test because when you have cancer you have the same hormones that pregnant women have. I tested positive. I was due last June! My dad called when I was in the dining hall. I still remember who I sat with, where I was sitting, that I was eating a chicken sandwich. I was in shock initially, just joking about it. But I went through all the stages — cried, laughed and was angry.
S: How did your friends react when they found out?
AF: They all reacted differently. Some were just speechless. Others started crying. Some people were apologetic, like they thought it was their fault that I had cancer.
S: Who were the most important members of your support system during your fight against the disease?
AF: My family, for sure. Both my parents are physicians, so they balanced their professional opinions with their loving family instinct — it was awesome. Whenever I was unsure, I could go to them, and they’d explain the next step. My brother and sister were there for me too. My sister was away at school, but she’d call and talk to me. My little brother would stay in on Friday nights, when he could be out with his friends, and rent a movie and hang out with me. We got a lot closer.
S: How difficult was it to miss an entire year of school, both academically and socially?
AF: The schoolwork wasn’t that bad. I worked full-time, so I kept my brain in shape. But it was tough to be off-track from my friends. They’re all seniors now and graduating, but I’m still a junior. I’ve met a lot of the juniors in class every day, and I consider them some of my best friends.
S: Do you think The Aidan Project will continue with as much enthusiasm after you graduate? Will you remain involved?
AF: I’d like to think so. My friends and I are doing it now, and we obviously have a vested interest. But my friends who are underclassmen are passionate about it and will carry it on. Regardless of the name, it will continue to be a big project for a good cause. People need to be aware that most men who get testicular cancer are between 15 and 35.
S: Do you have any advice on how we can best give our support to friends or relatives diagnosed with cancer?
AF: Humor is the best cure for anything. Just lightheartedness helps. You’re always aware that something is wrong, and you need a distraction. When people came and sat with me, sacrificing their time for me, I really appreciated it. I needed to know that people were there for me just because I meant something to them, not because I was sick. Cancer doesn’t create your identity. You are defined by how you meet the challenge.
