Utah teen with cancer starts foundation to help others with cancer

Utah teen with cancer starts foundation to help others with cancer

(Courtesy of Alec Unsicker)


2 photos
Save Story
Leer en español

Estimated read time: 2-3 minutes

This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.

SYRACUSE — Eighteen-year-old Alec Unsicker has cancer for the second time in his life, and he is trying to put a smile on the faces of other cancer patients through the foundation he started.

Unsicker said he was first diagnosed with medulloblastoma as an 11-year-old. He underwent chemotherapy and radiation, and went into remission about a 1 1/2 year later.

The teen said he thought he was clear of cancer at that time, and he went back for checkups for about three years. His MRIs were always clear until November 2014. The medulloblastoma came back, this time in his spine. He went through chemo and radiation again multiple times, and he is now taking supplements that are supposed to boost his immune system and doing stem cell treatment.

About a month ago, Unsicker started the AJU Foundation.

“AJU Foundation is a nonprofit organization that was created to provide individuals and families with ways and means to cope with a diagnosis of cancer,” the website says. “By experience we know there are challenges, setbacks, feelings of loneliness, discomfort and hopelessness. We hope to change some of that, at least for a moment. We hope to provide a smile, perhaps some fun, but definitely and most importantly a feeling of love and support — knowing there are many of us who care.”

Unsicker said people have given him things over the years and have always helped him get through tough times, and it’s always been such a bright spot through everything.

“And so I decided that I wanted to help other people with cancer, just give them something … so they have a reason to smile, even if it’s just for a little bit,” he said.

(Photo: Alec Unsicker)
(Photo: Alec Unsicker)

The foundation just got its first “Smiles Application.” The man who they are serving enjoys hanging out with his family and having barbeques, and AJU Foundation is sending him two of the best outdoor speakers they could find, a Visa gift card with $100 for barbeque food and new outdoor cushions and an iTunes gift card for $50, Unsicker said. The man they are helping is embarrassed to have people over because he hasn’t been able to take care of his lawn, so the foundation called a local lawn service company and paid them to take care of his lawn for three months, Unsicker said.

To nominate someone who is currently being treated for cancer for a smile’s package, fill out a Smiles Application at http://ajufoundation.com/smiles-application/.

Photos

Related links

Most recent Utah stories

Related topics

UtahUplifting
Megan Marsden Christensen

    STAY IN THE KNOW

    Get informative articles and interesting stories delivered to your inbox weekly. Subscribe to the KSL.com Trending 5.
    By subscribing, you acknowledge and agree to KSL.com's Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.

    KSL Weather Forecast