I was dismissed during cancer treatment. It led me to my dream work.

This test as told is based on a conversation with Alex GeorgeA 29 -year -old baker and a creator of content living in Philadelphia, about his career pivot following the diagnosis of Ewing sarcoma. It has been changed for duration and clarity.

I really loved cooking from a very young age. When I would watch television, I would usually opt for food network and I loved each show. It was a large part to want to do – and also love – food.

Now, I have my dream work as a professional baker almost full in full time and creator of content. I never thought it would be the life I would live.

I thought I knew what my life would look like

I went to the University of Michigan and I graduated in public policy. I thought that after a few years on an internship on the hill, I would end up working in something tangentially political. Then, I did an internship in a press station and thought: “Maybe I find journalism more interesting.”

After obtaining my diploma in 2017, I moved to Chattanooga, Tennessee, and I started my journalism career in a local station belonging to Sinclair. You work the worst teams as a journalist, and I have not brought cooking ingredients or several pots. Sometimes I made a lot of cookies, but I didn’t do it much. Part of my life was missing.

Cooking brought me joy while I was sick

I fell ill while I was in Chattanooga and I was badly diagnosed a few times there. I finally arrived at the good doctor who was able to tell me what was going on – I had Ewing sarcomaRare bone cancer. I returned home to Philadelphia, I went through a process of freezing eggs and I started a terrible chemo.

It was a difficult period. But when you don’t have much energy, cooking is a big hobby, especially when you have a family that is ready to help you clean up and everything Set up – Preparation.

Cooking brought me joy and happiness, so I stayed with it. I just baked and bake and brought it to the hospital. Nurses and doctors ate my food.

I practiced photos of food, which I shared on social networks – mainly on Instagram – on an account called Cooking with Cancer. There were very few followers: most of them were nurses, doctors, family members. I would download a really crazy image of a cookie, and my subscribers would always be very favorable.

‘I think they will dismiss you’

A few days after a infusion, the representatives of Sinclair asked me for a meeting. My father said, “I think they’ll fire you.” I thought, they could surely not; I had a contract with them which should not technically end before two years after my initial signature date.

I could not understand how it would be possible to dismiss someone on disability leave. When the HR person announced the news by phone to me, I felt tears in my eyes, and everything I remember saying out loud was: “I’m still in treatment.” There was silence on the phone.

(Publisher’s note: The former George station, WTVC, did not respond to the requests for comments from BI. A representative of Sinclair did not answer BI questions and said that the station management from this moment was no longer in place.)

My insurance coverage ended immediately, just a few days before having chemo treatment. How to pay your pocket for a chemotherapy session? I thought: “It is a death sentence.”

It was devastating, but I lowered myself on the incredible support of my mother and father, who helped me get the coverage of Cobra.

I thought that trying to fight this to establish a kind of legal precedent could be noble, but I just had to make sure that I could live and pass my illness, so it was not something I defended.

I realized that cooking for social media could really be something

After finishing the treatment, it was almost as if everything was silent. I was used to constant nursing surveillance, then, all of a sudden, I finished. I had a lot of time to think about what I wanted in life.

I finally obtained a freelance offer with an information station in Philadelphia. I was always cooking and I sold pastries, so I changed the name of the kitchen with cancer in the name of a new LLC, Lily P. Crumbs, named my 20 year old dog.

I remember telling one of my friends that it would be cool to make videos of my bakery products. I was also frustrated at not having had a recipe for chocolate chip cookies. I had made random tiktoks before that, but I remember downloading the first video of my search for the best recipe and seeing it have tens of thousands of views.

After that, I started to show some of my other bakery products and I experienced growth with this. I finally had partnership opportunities – and I had fun. As a person opposed to risk, I am always independent in the news, but sharing my cooking is my priority.

As a survivor of cancer, the future is exciting

I will never say that I am grateful for cancer, but it opened my eyes to the whore of short life and the short time you have to do exactly what you want to do. I prefer to live this life that the life I was probably going to choose before my diagnosis.

The best part of being a cancer survivor is that the future, in general, is so exciting. If someone questions their career or future, I say, do what you want. Create an idea where you would like your life to be, and just take a baby step towards her.