He was immediately transferred to Princess Margaret Cancer Centre for 30 days of induction chemotherapy. Suddenly, his partner Amalia was thrust into the role of his full-time caregiver. “Those first few weeks were full of sadness, fear, and panic,” she recalls.
Amalia coordinated appointments, tracked medications, managed test results, and often led conversations with doctors when Michael couldn’t. While she was able to lean on her loved ones for help, Amalia felt like she needed more support from people that would understand the stress and anxiety that she was going through.
Alongside the cancer treatments that Micheal was receiving, both he and Amalia, who were in their early 20s, took advantage of the Adolescent and Young Adult (AYA) Program through the Department of Supportive Care at The Princess Margaret.
The AYA Program provides personalized support for the specific challenges facing adolescents and young people with cancer. Young people diagnosed with cancer – typically defined as adolescents and young adults aged 15 to 39 – face unique physical, emotional, and life-stage challenges that differ greatly from older adults or young children. These can include fertility risks, education and career disruptions, social isolation, challenges with body image and relationships, loss of autonomy, and concern about the long-term side effects of their cancer treatment.
“For me, being able to access the AYA program in the same place that Michael was receiving treatment helped me get through this extremely challenging time while staying present for him,” said Amalia.
Chemotherapy attacked Michael’s cancer cells, but it was the immunotherapy, and later a stem-cell transplant, that enabled him to eventually be declared cancer-free. Ten days after finishing his immunotherapy, Michael proposed to Amalia. She happily said yes and today they are thrilled to be planning their wedding.
“The guidance we received through donor-funded support programs gave us comfort and a community during one of the most difficult chapters of our lives.”
___Michael Argyrides, Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia Survivor, and Amalia Kontolemos, Michael’s Fiancée and Caregiver