Mary’s Home Resident Spotlight: Peaches, Future Cancer Survivor

If someone were to meet you for the first time, what would you want them to know about you?
I want them to know that I am battling cancer and I am so grateful to MetroHealth and Mary’s Home. I was living in an unsafe apartment with bedbugs. The rent went up and I couldn’t afford it. In July, I was forced out and all I had was the clothes on my back. Legal Aid Society helped connect me to Mary’s Home. Now I’m in a clean, safe place. If I can tell my story, maybe I can help others who are still battling cancer or have survived cancer.

What is a hope of yours?
My hope is to be a cancer survivor. I want to live five years and even more than that period. I also hope that I can get back on my feet and get housing.

What is something in your life you love?
I love my dog. His name is Handsome Man. He is my support. He is my therapist. He is there for me. But unfortunately we are separated right now. My legal team is being a good foster family for him and I see him regularly.

If you could tell the world anything, what would it be?
I would tell the world that I am at the best hospital, which is MetroHealth at the main campus with a great cancer team and a great surgical team. I have a great cancer doctor, Kimberly Resnick. If it wasn’t for her, I wouldn’t be here. She saved my life and I am very indebted and grateful. Now I see life differently. Cancer has changed me. I have accepted my life, that I have cancer, and I will have to take chemo all the rest of my life. And as far as Mary’s Home, I have a great team here who is working very closely with me, especially Raven, Richard, Beth and nurse Katie, and I have gratitude for that. I am on a new journey. If anyone has cancer please by all means have it checked out and if caught early, get treated. And most of all I would like to thank the American Cancer Society. The Cancer Society supports me and talks to me. And I would like to dedicate my life to the American Cancer Society, Mary’s Home and my great cancer team, because all the people who I have worked with have saved my life.