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local Monday 20 March 2023

Jerwin Giel 8 years after cancer diagnosis:

“I want to be an inspiration for others”

(Oranjestad)—The world hear them. Again, trying
celebrated World Cancer to see the good in all this,”
Day this past Saturday. This Giel said.
is a day to raise aware-
ness and prevention for He remembers the first time
a disease that many lose his hair starting to fall off. He
their lives to and that others recalls that he was in class,
overcome and keep fight- and he decided the same
ing. day to shave it off. Giel told
the newspaper about one
Jerwin Giel is one a young of his fond memories dur-
man who around 8 years ing the new year, where
ago, had to confront the they let him light a firework
hardest challenge of his life outside the hospital parking
when he was diagnosed lot. “During the process, I
with cancer. In an inter- would see the positive and
view with Bon Dia Aruba, I stayed a happy person on
he shared his story and the outside, but inside I was
provided in sight on his life actually becoming miser-
after his fight with testicular able,” he remarked.
cancer at a young age. After he finished chemo,
Giel said that everything Giel shared that he thought
started with a simple back he was done, but two days
pain. He was in and out of later he was informed that
the doctor’s office and re- he had to go to The Nether-
ceived many medications lands to operate. They did
for this pain, but nothing not tell him what type of
seemed to work. operation it was in Aruba,
but he found out when he
After that, he realized that arrived in The Netherlands.
his sperm production be- “They told me that they
came scarce, and during would have to open me up
one of his usual work outs, to remove all of my lymph
he felt a pain he had never nodes, because they had
felt before. In that same became a teratoma. That
week, Giel said that he meant that they found
went to the doctor and ex- teeth, hair, nails etc.,” he
plained his entire dilemma. stated.
“When the doctor assessed Giel remarked that right
me, his eyes widened after before he entered the op-
I told him I had been expe- eration room, he cried for
riencing back pain for sev- the first time. “I cried a lot,
eral months now,” he said. and I just couldn’t stop, no
He continued by saying matter how hard I tried. The
that his general practitio- nurses asked me to calm
ner sent him to Dr. Moreta down, but I was hysterical;
and asked him to do some I just had to let everything
blood work and make a CT out.”
scan of his back. However, believe me if I told them,” ways the hardest. the good ones,” He added. Giel highlighted that even
Giel, young and rebellious, He indicated. “I always look for the good In terms of the physical ef- though he told his jour-
did not follow through with Giel explained that at the in bad situations, and I fects of the chemo, he ney from his perspective,
all his orders. same time, the doctor found out that on chemo said that he felt them right with a strong and positive
“I still remember the date, told him to get ready to day they give you what- away. From his first day of mindset, he remarks that
13 or 16 of December I go stay in the hospital, as ever you want to eat, so chemo, he noticed that his he could not have gone
was in class and Dr. Moreta they would be operating that became something I ears started ringing, like a through it all without his
called to ask where I was. the next day to remove the looked forward to. It was a firework went off right next supportive system. “I will
He told me to go to the tumor. After his operation, way to make it bearable,” to you. To this day, he still forever be grateful for God
hospital and take some Giel spent Christmas with he recalled. experiences this ringing. and their help. I want to be
pictures and bring them his family at home and had He shared that his body did “I see it as selective hear- inspiration for others. With
to him. That’s when I knew to undergo chemotherapy not react badly to the first ing now. Whenever I don’t a strong mindset, you can
that something was off,” he treatment the next week. two rounds of chemo. He want to listen to someone, face any obstacle that
remarked. Every chemo cycle took did however start to feel I just pretend that I can’t comes your way.”q
After taking his pictures, he 21 days, and Giel had to sick during the third cycle.
went by the doctor’s of- undergo 4 in total. He in- He noticed his hair falling
fice and that is where he dicated that for 5 days out and his lack of energy.
received the news that he straight, he had chemo. “The chemo was so strong
had stage 3-4 testicular During those 5 days, he that I would taste it in my
cancer. “I told him to tell had to stay in the hospital mouth and smell it whenev-
my family, because I’m a and receive three bags of er I went to the bathroom.
joker, and they wouldn’t chemo. Fridays were al- It kills the bad cells, but also