When Ryan Nguyen started his first year of university in August 2022, he never would have imagined that within weeks he'd be diagnosed with Hodgkin lymphoma, at just 18 years old.
He got through that first round of treatment and got on with his life. Then, in February this year, the cancer came back. Now 22, Ryan is being treated at the PA for recurrent Hodgkin lymphoma, and as he nears the tail end of this leg of outpatient treatment, he's waiting to find out what the next few months will look like.
But he's hopeful, buoyed by the more than 1500 paper cranes that now hang in the youth space in Ward 2E, having once hung in the corner of his hospital room while he was receiving inpatient treatment.
Why paper cranes you might ask?
Ryan had heard of the Japanese Buddhist belief that folding 1000 paper cranes earns you a wish from the gods. It's a tradition that spread around the world in the wake of the atomic bombings of Japan, through the story of Sadako Sasaki, a young girl who developed Leukaemia in the 1950s and folded well over 1000 cranes of her own before she passed away. Her story is still told today as a symbol of peace, good health and fortune.
Ryan decided to give it a go, mostly as something to do with his hands during his stem cell transplant treatment and was soon joined by supportive friends and family in the endeavour. He didn't expect it to become what it became.
"Who helped me? Me and about a dozen of my closest friends,” he said.
“It was a little bit scary, actually, because there were people I had never even heard of who went, 'Yeah, I'm going to fold 700 paper cranes for this kid,' just out of their own volition. Two people in particular, Lisa and Carrie, really helped with contributing so many of these.
“Firstly, I had my father, who ended up folding a couple of hundred on his own. Then I reached out to the community of people, the tribe within my life, and they rustled up such an unprecedented amount of support.
Some of that support came through a music project called You Can make Some Noise (YCMSN) Ryan is part of, which brings together young people who have or have had cancer.
"We just chill and make music, we've actually released two albums together," he said.
Regular crane folding sessions were held at the Topology Creative Hub in the Gap, where word got out and a core group of wonderful locals rallied around Ryan and the 1000 crane goal.
"Some people up the grapevine within that world, they'll bend over backwards to help you out. It was an odd feeling, but a good feeling. The outpouring of support was, just, wow."
The goal of 1000 came and went within about six weeks, and the folding continued. The final count sits at 1600, with another hundred waiting at home. His personal best is three minutes and twenty seconds a crane.
"There's catharsis in it. It's something I could do with my hands while I'm focused on something else, and distraction is always good during a time like this," Ryan explained.
"I'm not as spiritual or as firm in my Buddhist beliefs as maybe my family would be, but you do see the combined efforts of a lot of people who really care about your wellbeing, doing anything they can, even if it's a symbolic gesture, just to hope you'll be okay in the end. Forget the wish. That outpouring of support is the more important thing to me."
The cranes were strung together over several visits, at one point requiring one of the ward's physiotherapists to help get them up near the ceiling. Ryan says the staff have been endlessly curious about it, always keen to hear the story behind the cranes, and consistently kind throughout his time in their care.
The cranes now hang in display up in the youth space on Ward 2E.
"It always feels odd to me, getting to see this display and think a dozen people helped make that for me," he said.
"Because I am meaningful to other people's lives. That's always an odd feeling."
If you'd like to help support patients like Ryan during their treatment journeys at PA Hospital, you can make the Foundation your place to give here.
