In 2010, when she was 33 years old, Joy Huber was diagnosed with stage IV cancer. By the time her non-Hodgkin lymphoma, a type of blood cancer, was caught, it had spread to her bones and to major organs.
“Science saved my life,” says Huber. The years of tests and treatments, and more than a decade of ongoing care, she says, “is all rooted in scientific progress. I’m just a classic example of how medical research and clinical trials and advancements make a difference.”
Listen above as Huber—emotional, impassioned, empowered, energizing, and joyful—tells The Brink about her diagnosis, finding moments of happiness in despair, and the message of hope she has for others living with cancer. She also has some words of inspiration for researchers at Boston University and beyond working to advance cancer science to save even more lives.
“My story, hopefully, gives others some hope that when they get that diagnosis,” says Huber, “it doesn’t automatically mean the end of the story.”
Andrew Thurston
is originally from England, but has grown to appreciate the serial comma and the Red Sox, while keeping his accent (mostly) and love of West Ham United. He joined BU in 2007, and is the editor of the University’s research news site, The Brink; he was formerly director of alumni publications. Before joining BU, he edited consumer and business magazines, including for corporations, nonprofits, and the UK government. His work has won awards from the Council for Advancement and Support of Education, the In-House Agency Forum, Folio:, and the British Association of Communicators in Business. Andrew has a bachelor’s degree in English and related literature from the University of York.
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Andrew Hallock
Production Manager
Andrew Hallock
is the Production Manager for BU Today, The Brink, and Bostonia. In addition to content creation and management, he provides audio engineering to many BU podcasts. In his free time, Andrew manages a recording studio and works regularly with local artists, podcasters, and voiceover actors looking to perfect their sound. He also loves dogs, cooking, hiking, and rock climbing (in no particular order).
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Nicolas Rocca
Social Media Video Creator
Nicolas Rocca
is a social media video creator with BU’s Office of Public Relations, producing short-form content for the university’s flagship social media channels. He grew up near Boston and received a bachelor’s degree in media arts production from Emerson College. In his free time, Nick enjoys hiking, scuba diving and photography. Nick can be reached at nrocca@bu.edu.
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