Owen Abeles was just settling into his freshman year at Oxford College of Emory University when doctors told him he had stage 3 Hodgkin's lymphoma. That was in 2022. Today he's in remission, working toward a master's degree in bioethics, and channeling his own recovery into helping other young adults find their footing after treatment ends.
Abeles was diagnosed during his first semester at Oxford College and underwent six months of chemotherapy at Piedmont Newton while continuing his coursework, according to Piedmont Healthcare. He kept up with his studies even as he moved through treatment, a stretch he has since described as the starting point for the work he does now. As CBS News Atlanta reports, Abeles is now an Emory graduate student who draws on cooking, medicine and his nonprofit work to help young adults rediscover themselves once treatment is behind them.
Piedmont Newton held its first-ever Cancer Survivor Celebration at Legion Field in June, where survivors gathered to mark milestones in their recovery. Abeles's experience with cancer has informed his nonprofit work helping young adults after treatment. He is also described as a social empathy researcher, nonprofit founder and advanced emergency medical technician, according to a profile on cancer survivor resources published by Vital Pediatrics for Complex Kids.
Filling a Gap for Young Adult Survivors
Abeles's focus on young adults touches a population that national cancer researchers say have distinct needs. CBS News Atlanta has reported on gaps in support for young adults after treatment.
CBS News Atlanta has reported that young adults can face a gap in support after treatment.
Atlanta's Survivorship Network
For young adults, rebuilding after treatment can mean finding support as they rediscover themselves.
Abeles's nonprofit work is aimed at helping young adults rediscover themselves after treatment, drawing on his own experience to support his peers.
