Considering the pain Lena Strickling has endured throughout her life, it would be understandable if she used her one Make-A-Wish to lounge on a remote, sandy beach far, far away.
But Strickling, who has Hodgkin’s lymphoma and was sexually abused by her father, isn’t one for idling.
Instead, the 18-year-old decided to use the opportunity to help empower young people who have undergone similar traumas.
Strickling asked Make-A-Wish, a nonprofit that grants free experiences to children diagnosed with life-threatening diseases, to fund a video that would allow her to tell her story. She also invited her two close friends, Mariah and Peach, also survivors of sexual abuse, to share their experiences and encourage others to speak out.
If the determined advocate comes off as glib while talking about cancer, it’s because she is.
Though the disease took her hair, caused her to go through menopause and may result in lifelong nerve damage in her arms, legs and hands, cancer is not her prime concern.
“Cancer never bothered me at all versus with sexual abuse. It’s like [the abuse] happened and it’s still haunting me,” Strickling told Lindsay Schrupp, who produced the video with Collectively.
Strickling knew early on that her diagnosis would take her from her from home in Alaska to Seattle Children’s Hospital, but that her chances of survival were high.
She didn’t have anywhere near as much certainty when she was sexually abused at the hands of her father.
According to Strickling, the abuse was happening pretty much every day by the time she was 6 and her father would often discreetly touch her in public by covering her with a blanket.
Strickling said she attempted suicide four times within a two-year span and had no friends during the period before she opened up about her pain.
Her father was eventually convicted and sentenced to prison. He was diagnosed with schizophrenia with religious delusions.
Strickling only began to heal once she allowed herself to tell her story and find support among friends who have also survived sexual abuse.
She now wants the world to know that story, and know how common of a narrative it is.
According to the Rape Abuse & Incest National Network, 44 percent of sexual assault and rape victims are under 18.
Strickling hopes her message will inspire other survivors to stop feeling shameful and seek out guidance and support.
“If you were sexually abused, it’s OK to talk about it,” the three friends shared at the end of the video. “Just say it. And be proud of yourself and stand up for yourself. Don’t let anybody knock you down.”
Need help? In the U.S., visit the National Sexual Assault Online Hotline operated by RAINN. For more resources, visit the National Sexual Violence Resource Center's website.