A Life Defined by Service, not Cancer
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Three years ago I met the person I would come to think of as the most alive and giving person I have ever known, a beam of pure sunshine. One of those rare rays who fills you up with a sense that everything is good, in this moment.
Slowly, as we came to know each other, I learned of his story. I realized this ability to savor life, the moment, the now and share that with others in his presence was born out of some of the hardest, most tragic circumstances I could imagine.
Court Simmons was one of three, born and raised in Philadelphia, by a poor single mom, with an older sister, Christina, and younger brother, Reggie. In 2005, at age 9, he got the news that his mom was diagnosed with cancer as a result of a rare condition called Li-Fraumeni Syndrome, making the family susceptible to cancers. And meaning his hardworking mom would have to give up work and find a way to get to treatment and appointments. Court says of this time, " Mom never allowed us to pity ourselves, emphasizing the importance of pride, despite our circumstances. Mom lived through a year of chemotherapy, radiation and multiple surgeries with little outside support. As time progressed, Mom isolated us from family and friends to avoid the shame associated with poverty. It was a normal occurrence to play hide and seek in a dark house when the electric bill was overdue. Other times, we boiled water on a hot plate for baths and laundry."
During that year, Christina, who was still just a child, shouldered much of the burden of the family, until she too was diagnosed with Li-Fraumeni and developed a malignant glioblastoma. Christina passed away in 2007 at the age of 17 and on Christmas Day in 2011, Court's mother died from cancer too.
Court and Reggie had been through more at the ages of 16 and 14 than I can comprehend. Then, one month later, Court received the diagnosis that he too had this rare genetic cancer diagnosis of Li-Fraumeni Syndrome. Trying to be brave for his little brother, Court, at 17 and alone, went through limb-sparing surgery and 30 rounds of chemotherapy, physical therapy to be able to walk again at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, CHOP, (without an epidural for pain due to a blood clotting disorder).
After nearly a year in the hospital Court finished high school and received a scholarship from Eagles Fly for Leukemia to St. Joes University, becoming the first member of his family to graduate college in 2018. Reggie following his lead shortly after with a psychology degree from Drexel with an interest in research related to trauma in children. This May, Court was accepted to one of the best graduate schools in the country, Bryn Mawr College, to become a social worker for children with cancer, hopefully at CHOP.
Court has raised over $30,000 for kids with cancer on his own and began the St. Joe's Dance Marathon for CHOP. He says yes to every speaking event, news interview, and fundraiser, often receiving no payment, believing in the encouragement it may give other children. Court would never tell you this, beyond being resilient, brilliant and giving, Court is so humble and self-reliant. Court is always the one to give -- to his brother, his extended family, his friends, his neighbors, the CHOP community. His life is dedicated to supporting and uplifting those around him.
Court would never ask for help which is why I am asking on his behalf. Last September when cancer appeared again and Court needed a major surgery to remove the tumor, Court planned to care for himself (which would mean weeks of clearing surgical drains and bandages while not being able to lift your arms) before I pleaded to have him stay with us. The thing is Court would have managed. But no one should have to do that. No one should have to reckon with any of this. And someone as remarkable as Court, who has given so much, should be able to pursue his work, unburdened by debt and worry. We all benefit when people like Court are able to pursue their ambitions. For the child with cancer who needs Court's support in the future, for the teenager who needs to see modeled a person who forged their own path to identity. As Court puts his own experience, "There were few role models for the black, queer and trans feminist I’d become." Court makes an impact on the lives of those he encounters, to help make that impact larger would have an immeasurable ripple.
COVID has made plans to work part-time to fund graduate school, (for which he received a partial scholarship) and living expenses very unsafe. Court needs to go to the hospital nearly weekly, something he used to use public transit for, but now need to pay car insurance, and other fees to maintain a friend's car. Please help fund Court's next two years of tuition and living expenses so he does not have to enter risky jobs to make this degree a reality. Court has worked harder than anyone I know to give to others and keep himself afloat. Please help uplift this person so deserving. We are so lucky to have Court in our orbit.
From a 2018 article published by St. Joes: " “I celebrate every day. The fact that I get to do the things that I want, that I can walk, that I can feel the sun on my face — it’s all perfect.” Court Simmons
Slowly, as we came to know each other, I learned of his story. I realized this ability to savor life, the moment, the now and share that with others in his presence was born out of some of the hardest, most tragic circumstances I could imagine.
Court Simmons was one of three, born and raised in Philadelphia, by a poor single mom, with an older sister, Christina, and younger brother, Reggie. In 2005, at age 9, he got the news that his mom was diagnosed with cancer as a result of a rare condition called Li-Fraumeni Syndrome, making the family susceptible to cancers. And meaning his hardworking mom would have to give up work and find a way to get to treatment and appointments. Court says of this time, " Mom never allowed us to pity ourselves, emphasizing the importance of pride, despite our circumstances. Mom lived through a year of chemotherapy, radiation and multiple surgeries with little outside support. As time progressed, Mom isolated us from family and friends to avoid the shame associated with poverty. It was a normal occurrence to play hide and seek in a dark house when the electric bill was overdue. Other times, we boiled water on a hot plate for baths and laundry."
During that year, Christina, who was still just a child, shouldered much of the burden of the family, until she too was diagnosed with Li-Fraumeni and developed a malignant glioblastoma. Christina passed away in 2007 at the age of 17 and on Christmas Day in 2011, Court's mother died from cancer too.
Court and Reggie had been through more at the ages of 16 and 14 than I can comprehend. Then, one month later, Court received the diagnosis that he too had this rare genetic cancer diagnosis of Li-Fraumeni Syndrome. Trying to be brave for his little brother, Court, at 17 and alone, went through limb-sparing surgery and 30 rounds of chemotherapy, physical therapy to be able to walk again at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, CHOP, (without an epidural for pain due to a blood clotting disorder).
After nearly a year in the hospital Court finished high school and received a scholarship from Eagles Fly for Leukemia to St. Joes University, becoming the first member of his family to graduate college in 2018. Reggie following his lead shortly after with a psychology degree from Drexel with an interest in research related to trauma in children. This May, Court was accepted to one of the best graduate schools in the country, Bryn Mawr College, to become a social worker for children with cancer, hopefully at CHOP.
Court has raised over $30,000 for kids with cancer on his own and began the St. Joe's Dance Marathon for CHOP. He says yes to every speaking event, news interview, and fundraiser, often receiving no payment, believing in the encouragement it may give other children. Court would never tell you this, beyond being resilient, brilliant and giving, Court is so humble and self-reliant. Court is always the one to give -- to his brother, his extended family, his friends, his neighbors, the CHOP community. His life is dedicated to supporting and uplifting those around him.
Court would never ask for help which is why I am asking on his behalf. Last September when cancer appeared again and Court needed a major surgery to remove the tumor, Court planned to care for himself (which would mean weeks of clearing surgical drains and bandages while not being able to lift your arms) before I pleaded to have him stay with us. The thing is Court would have managed. But no one should have to do that. No one should have to reckon with any of this. And someone as remarkable as Court, who has given so much, should be able to pursue his work, unburdened by debt and worry. We all benefit when people like Court are able to pursue their ambitions. For the child with cancer who needs Court's support in the future, for the teenager who needs to see modeled a person who forged their own path to identity. As Court puts his own experience, "There were few role models for the black, queer and trans feminist I’d become." Court makes an impact on the lives of those he encounters, to help make that impact larger would have an immeasurable ripple.
COVID has made plans to work part-time to fund graduate school, (for which he received a partial scholarship) and living expenses very unsafe. Court needs to go to the hospital nearly weekly, something he used to use public transit for, but now need to pay car insurance, and other fees to maintain a friend's car. Please help fund Court's next two years of tuition and living expenses so he does not have to enter risky jobs to make this degree a reality. Court has worked harder than anyone I know to give to others and keep himself afloat. Please help uplift this person so deserving. We are so lucky to have Court in our orbit.
From a 2018 article published by St. Joes: " “I celebrate every day. The fact that I get to do the things that I want, that I can walk, that I can feel the sun on my face — it’s all perfect.” Court Simmons
Organizer
Aubrey Levinthal
Organizer
Philadelphia, PA