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“The Truth of Things”: Coming Back from Cancer

Caroline Bridges (COM’09) on returning to campus after chemo

Click on the slide show above to hear Caroline Bridges talk about how her life has changed since she was diagnosed with cancer.

At the beginning of December 2006, Caroline Bridges’ biggest concern was her upcoming final exams. A week later, her priorities had shifted drastically.

Bridges (COM’09) was diagnosed with acute lymphocytic leukemia, a blood cancer that affects about 5,000 people in the United States each year. Within seven days of her diagnosis, she had withdrawn from classes, moved out of her room in Shelton Hall, and started inpatient chemotherapy at the University of Chicago Hospital. As her treatment began, Bridges started chronicling her experiences online at This Be My (B)log, which was voted one of BU’s best blogs in last year’s BU Today Show Us Your Blogs contest.

Now, Bridges — who turns 21 on Tuesday, October 2 — is back at BU for the first time since December, taking classes, working at the Fitness and Recreation Center, and continuing chemotherapy treatments. She says that she has been looking forward to her return to campus for months, but is now finding that her perspective on college life — and her sense of belonging — has changed.

Jessica Ullian can be reached at jullian@bu.edu.

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