Young adulthood is a unique time of life with many paths to travel down, and a cancer diagnosis certainly is not what anyone would expect to face.
Abby Valentine’s young adult life was full of hope for the future. She graduated from Elizabethtown College with a communications degree in 2016, got engaged in 2020 to the love of her life, and was thriving in her career in marketing and program planning for the Pennsylvania Breast Cancer Coalition.
From an early age, Abby’s true passion was helping others who were diagnosed with cancer. While she was in high school, Abby saved all her tips from her job at a pretzel shop and donated them to the American Cancer Society.
“She was so kind, outgoing, and empathetic,” Abby’s husband and founder of Smiles for Abby Nick Valentine said. Her passion in life was to help people.” Abby’s blossoming young adult life came to a screeching halt with a cancer diagnosis at 28. Abby was misdiagnosed twice, with her symptoms of intense migraines being dismissed due to her age and otherwise healthy state. However, on July 10, 2022, after a visit to the emergency room, Abby was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia— an aggressive type of blood cancer. She and Nick were to be married just two months later in September 2022.
Abby bravely began chemotherapy and was immediately surrounded by unwavering support from her husband, family, and friends. She and Nick canceled their traditional wedding plans but were married in the backyard just two short weeks after she was diagnosed. Even though the two celebrated their special day in the best way that they could muster, it was not the wedding Abby or Nick deserved. Abby took leave from her budding career, spent months-long stays in the hospital, and remained isolated from friends and family to protect her health in her immunocompromised state.
There are many challenging aspects of dealing with a cancer diagnosis at such an early age, but Nick recalls that the toll on his and Abby’s mental health was one of the most difficult obstacles to overcome.
With her passion for video blogging and storytelling, Abby documented her cancer journey through YouTube. She shared the good and bad moments of her struggle. She wanted people to understand the reality of what it was like to face cancer head-on while still being able to find moments of joy along the way. As her treatment progressed, Nick began a Facebook page to update family and friends on Abby’s health progress, while also raising awareness for young adult cancer. He called it Smiles for Abby because no matter how hard treatment was or how sick Abby became, she always had a smile on her face. Her motto throughout her battle was “I can do hard things,” a slogan that inspired and continues to inspire so many people facing tough times.
Abby died from leukemia in November 2023 due to infectious complications after her second stem cell transplant. Wanting to continue Abby’s legacy and help others in their cancer journey, Nick expanded the Smiles for Abby Facebook page into a non-profit organization in March. It has been a therapeutic way for Nick to process his grief while sharing Abby’s story in hopes of continuing to spread his wife’s light and love to the world.
Financial, mental health, social, and caregiver support resources are not readily shared with patients and caregivers.
“I don’t want anyone to feel as lost as we did,” Nick said. “Cancer and cancer treatment are difficult enough to tackle while also trying to find much-needed support resources outside of the hospital.”
Smiles for Abby provides resources and creates and distributes care packages.
Nick specifically chose to serve young adults with cancer because he feels that this demographic is underrepresented and neglected in the oncology community. Since the establishment of Smiles for Abby, 16 care packages have been delivered to Penn State Hershey Medical Center, and 12 have been delivered throughout the United States.
Smiles for Abby can impart to all young adults how vital it is to be your own medical advocate and spread awareness that cancer is not a disease that only affects children or older adults.
If you would like to support Smiles for Abby, you can join them at their upcoming event in Hummelstown, Pennsylvania. With sponsorship from the Knights of Columbus, Smiles for Abby is hosting a charity restaurant night at Rubber Soul Brewing Co. on Wednesday, Sept. 25, from 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.
You can also follow their Instagram @smiles_for_abby and visit their website www.smilesforabby.org for more information or to donate to help them continue to build their platform as a non-profit to further Abby’s legacy.
