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First person: 5 years cancer-free

By WTOP Staff

Editor’s note: WTOP Morning Editor Mike Jakaitis is five years cancer-free and writes a first-person account of his journey.

Mike Jakaitis, wtop.com

I can sum up the last five years with two words: Thank You.

After, I met with my oncologist and received my first biopsy report on Dec. 11, 2006, it was my goal to make the magic five-year mark as a cancer survivor. And WE did. I use the term ‘we’ because I did not fight this battle alone. I have received so much support from family, friends, and colleagues during this battle. I’m extremely lucky and grateful for everything.

I want to thank everyone for the nice emails, tributes, Facebook and Twitter messages celebrating my five-year anniversary. I have received so many messages from so many people: high school classmates, fraternity brothers, old college roommates, childhood friends, as well as WTOP listeners. It’s been very touching.

When I first found out I had colon cancer after my colonoscopy in November 2006, it was devastating. I kept asking myself how could I get colon cancer at 36 years old? I just got married a year earlier. I have my whole life ahead of me.

But after I got over the shock, I decided that this disease was not going to get the best of me. I really believe having a positive attitude helped me reach my goal. Look, I’m not going to lie, I had the occasional down moment, but for the most part I remained upbeat and I have the people around me to thank for keeping me positive.

I’m still amazed how everything broke right for me. For a re-cap, check out the the video:

After going through this, it changes your outlook on a lot of things. The little things don’t bother me anymore. The lone exception is my beloved Philadelphia Eagles. It’s hard NOT to get upset watching them every Sunday.

I able to write about this because my cancer was caught early. Please, if you have any doubts about getting a colonoscopy, get rid of them. The procedure is not that bad. The prep work is no picnic but the payoff is worth it. Just get it done, it can save your life. I’m living proof.

There’s so many people I want to thank. I don’t know where to begin. I want to thank all my doctors: my primary care physician: Dr. Megan Wollman who was really aggressive in getting me checked out; my gastroenterologist Dr. James Butler; my oncologist Dr. Jimmy Hwang; and my surgeon Dr. Patrick Jackson, as well as the staff and nurses at Georgetown University Hospital.

I want to thank everyone at WTOP. I can honestly call my colleagues friends. The hospital visits, phone calls, emails, I’ll never forget it. Everyone has been so supportive — especially fellow colon cancer survivor Jim Farley, WTOP’s vice president of news and programming. I spoke to him almost immediately after I was diagnosed. He put my mind at ease and let me know that colon cancer was not necessarily a death sentence. I also want to thank WTOP Program Director Mike McMearty and Federal News Radio’s Amy Morris for keeping everyone informed on my recovery.

My close friends, “my boys” as my wife calls them, have been great. They treated me normal from the start which was very important. Their support has been great. I couldn’t ask for a better set of friends.

I can’t thank my family enough. My parents have been great–always encouraging me, praying for me. I remember my brother and his wife flying up from Arkansas for my surgery. My relatives in Philly always lending their support. My in-laws for the phone calls, and support materials. I am lucky to have a great family.

Finally, I want to thank my lovely wife Kellie. She remained so strong from the beginning. I owe her everything. If she didn’t make that doctors appointment for me, if she didn’t nag me to go, there’s a good chance I wouldn’t be here to share this experience. Thanks Sweetie. I love you so much.

You can email Mike at mjakaitis@wtop or catch him on Twitter @mjakaitis. Follow WTOP on Twitter.

(Copyright 2011 by WTOP. All Rights Reserved.)

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
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