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Gary Yost's Story
My name is Gary Wayne Yost, III and at the ripe-old age of 12, I am a cancer survivor. When I was 10, I complained of shoulder pain after soccer practice. My mom took me to the pediatrician expecting to hear news of a pulled muscle. Following an X-ray to rule out a cracked rib, the doctor told us that I had a mass in my chest cavity and to go to Seattle Children’s immediately. The next day we were told that I had a rare form of bone cancer—Ewing’s sarcoma. I’ve been through a lot, including 14 rounds of chemo and 17 blood and platelet transfusions. If it weren’t for the lifesaving gift of blood donation, I probably wouldn’t be here today. Before I got sick, I was under the impression that people who needed blood transfusions must have been in some sort of horrible accident or needed major surgery. I certainly would never have dreamed that I would be one of the people requiring donated blood—especially not at the age of 10. My experiences may seem pretty overwhelming, even insurmountable to some, but I am surviving and I am so very thankful for the outcome I’m enjoying. While no one would ever ask to have my experiences, our family has discovered that we have gained some major gifts as a result of this journey. We don’t take a moment for granted and we love each other on a level I believe few have the pleasure of achieving. |
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“Cancer does not discriminate, that is why the work the Blood Center does is so important.”