by Gayle Etcheverry
Being a college student can be one of the most challenging experiences in a lifetime with academic pressures and being away from home. Imagine how difficult it would be to cope with the death of a loved one at the same time? In the past, most college campuses didn’t have any kind of emotional support system for students dealing with a death in the family – That is until David Fajgenbaum took action.
During David’s freshman year at Georgetown University, his mother, Anne Marie Fajgenbaum was diagnosed with brain cancer. Anne Marie was very optimistic about finding a cure for cancer despite the side effects from her treatments. Her faith in God, and the love and support from friends and family helped her cope with the uncertainty of the future. When asked to describe who his mother was, David explained, “She was my best friend, role model, mentor and mom all in one. She truly was an angel. In her passing and even still today, I hear stories about the ways that she touched others lives.”
David started Students of AMF (Ailing Mothers & Fathers; Anne Marie Fajgenbaum) with about 5 other students, sharing their own stories of loss with him in the weeks after Anne Marie passed away. Gradually, their group began to grow with other students and faculty members of Georgetown into a group over 300 members. Soon after, students from other college campuses contacted David to find out how they could start chapters of their own. This lead to the National Students of AMF Support Network, a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting and empowering college students coping with the illness or death of a loved one, motivating college students to fight back against terminal illness, and raising awareness about the needs of grieving college students.
One day, David hopes to have a chapter on every campus across the US and eventually around the world. He understands the need of support groups like theirs and has seen the impact in can have on the student’s lives.
Throughout all of these experiences, David’s favorite verse kept him going – “But if you trust in the Lord, you shall receive power!” Acts 1:8. “Grief, pursuing your dreams and the unknown are all scary. No one knew that verse more than my mom and I hope that I inherited an ounce of her courage,” explains David.
“I now challenge you all to make it your goal to live like Anne Marie and dedicate yourselves to helping others” says David; “This is different for all of you. You may be able to help this population of grieving young adults by being a mentor, starting a chapter, making a donation, or simply referring someone you know to our group. May God bless you and an angel named Anne Marie watch over you.”
To learn more about how to become involved in Students of AMF please visit their website at www.StudentsofAMF.org
Check out the story at: http://godblesshumanity.com/articles/?p=79
