September 2, 2019 • 11 mins
In episode 5 Brandon and Sebastian interview Melanie Mederos who is not only their friend but also a cancer survivor. Melanie shares her journey with cancer and how she changed her career path from wanting to be chef to wanting to become a doctor in order to help others with cancer.
Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
This is are you getting podcast? I can listen with
my kids. Come on, kids with brothers Sebastian and Brandon Martinez,
who are kids helping kids. Hey guys, today we're talking
to an amazing kids to survivor who has also been
our friend for over five years. Melanie, Welcome to our podcast. Well, first,
we want to thank you for supporting our initiatives. No,
of course I remember actually going back to even before
(00:24):
UM I had gotten sick and everything and seeing you
guys support the pediatric cancer and community. Uh, you guys
had done socks for the Light the Night founding like
the Light to Night with the Lukimia and Lamphoma Foundation,
and I had bought those socks and I was a
representative with them too, So it goes beyond um what
you guys have started. And it's crazy to see the
(00:45):
socks grow from from simple designs to designs with stories
just like all of us. So so it's pretty cool.
As much of the best thing it is to you guys,
it's a blessing to me. So well, we are honored
to help everyone, you know, because we don't want to
just help like you know ourselves. You know, we also
want to help everyone out because like a lot of
(01:05):
people like they need help and we are here to
give out our hands to help them. And we we
want to know we tell us about We want to
know more about your journey was with cancer and how
your you use your journey to impact the lives of us.
So my journey with cancer started, um when I was twelve,
So it was the summer of two thousand fourteen, and
(01:27):
I was diagnosed with leukemia and treatment was three years long,
and I finished, and I came out strong, and and
you guys followed me with with lives like DOLLA and
the foundation and the and the socks and seeing the
sock cops every year. But now out of it, things
have kind of taken a change where you know, I'm
not in the hospital as much, but I still keep
(01:48):
in contact without my friends, still going through it and
the impact I guess I've made, you know, aside from
from the socks and and pushing it at the schools
and stuff. Um, it's just my own you know, moving
forward in life. I've you know, spent the seven weeks
at a program at the University Seat of Me at
Miami because I want to pursue medicine because of what
(02:11):
I've been through, and I've realized that, you know, there's
a problem in the world, and that's that kids are
getting cancer. And if there's something that I can do
to change that, I'm gonna go ahead and use that
energy to fight just as hard as I did before
for others this time. So that's my journey and that's
how I'm hoping to impact the people around me. Well,
(02:33):
you said that you wanted to be a doctor, But
did you want to be a doctor before you got leukimia?
Because after you got leukimia, did you see that not
just you that need to help, but other people need
to help in the hospitals. So did you feel that
you want to be a doctor before? I actually wanted
to be a chef when I was living and from
like the time I was seven to freshman year of
(02:56):
high school, I wanted to be a chef. I I
took culinary in the ninth grade, and you know, I
got sick. I went into a treatment and everything and
and even outside of treatment, I um I had been told, oh,
you have the heart of a doctor, you have a
passion for it. And I told everyone that I was
going to stay away as far from the hospital as
I could, And for some reason, it kept coming back
(03:17):
to me, this idea that I can make a difference
in kids like me, um and who body too who?
But what better of a person could be than somebody
that I once needed? And so that drive of like
knowing that me knowing that I can know something that
nobody else will and bring that to the medical field
(03:38):
was kind of what changed. So No, I didn't want
to be a doctor before and even in treatment, I
kind of pushed back the idea until until I realized
that I kind of avoid it, that that's what that's
the problem I want to fix, and and that's what
I'm gonna do to fix it. Well, you said you
wanted to be a chef when you're older. What do
you like cooking? Oh man, that's that's a crazy question.
(04:01):
So most of the times the meals that my mom
cooked or my greatgrandmother, but um, baking is my favorite.
So oftentimes, like whenever my friends are in a rut,
or someone's upset, or like just somebody's just not feeling
good in my family, I'll go ahead and bake cookies.
And then rules I make smoothies at home, or sometimes
(04:22):
I'll pick up dinner, uh and make dinner at the
house so that my mom doesn't have to do it.
So whether or not cooking is for the actual cooking
or just to make people happy, I haven't deciphered that.
But but those are the meals I kind of cook.
So baking and home cooked dinners are my favorite. They
sound delicious. But are you a good shot if I
(04:44):
saw a restaurant material you never know? Oh for sure.
Now you guys can come over and we have munch together.
But I think I'm pretty good. I've had my grandpa
tell me that I can have run my own restaurant
in my own hospital, and I'm like those those dunes
are too a big. I could pick one or the other. Um,
but I think I'm pretty good. I sister like my
cooking too. So well, maybe somebody who is very sick
(05:08):
is listening to our podcast right now, So what words
of inspiration would you give them? Well, other than what
they've probably already heard before, you know, to keep writing,
to not lose hope things get better. I've heard oh
my lad, I've heard it gets worse before it gets
better so many times. But at the same time, especially
like for people who are older and and um very
(05:31):
sick that I understand it more. Don't let um, don't
let yourself be so strong that you forget to take
care of yourself. You know, there's a lot of people
around you that are being strong for you, and it's
okay to break down every now and then and and
feel the emotions and go through what you're going through.
But you just kind of take that as a lesson
(05:52):
that life's throwing at you and just move forward and
be a kid like I remember being so best have
been to you did that at a pediatric hospital because
I had friends that were treated at different hospitals and
and they didn't get a chance to live that same
playful life during treatment. So as as scary as it
(06:13):
all may seem, life is an over So just keep
moving forward, keeping a kid, and fall back on the
ones closest to you and definitely makes your story worth
worth something because if you if you go through it
and you have some story to tell in some way
to impact somebody, why wouldn't you. So you just gave
(06:35):
up kids who are battling cancer some great, great advice,
but also what would you give the family members of
the kids are going through this. You're not alone, and uh,
you're doing your best. You're not alone, and you're doing
your best, and there's no reason for you to pub
blame on yourself for anything that might have happened. That's
(06:56):
not how life works, I believe. I think things are
just circumstanced and it just you got to move forward
and the same thing as the kids like you can
go ahead and be strong for the people around you,
but fall back, you know, take care of yourself because
if you're taking one all the way and you end
up making yourself sick, then but what help are you?
You know, there's definitely a community even outside of your
(07:17):
own family that's willing to to let you know, cry
on your shoulder or or give you the support that
you need within the hospital, outside at home. So you're
not alone. Mally, you said something to us a long
time ago, and we always remember. And my mom has
the phone and we're gonna place a video right now,
and we want to know why it means so much
(07:37):
to you. It's enlightening, it's hopeful, and it just it
brings the spirit of happiness. You know, two kids like
me and now to be able to be a part
of the kids Helping Kids initiative. It's something so amazing
and out of this world. And even though I get
to change one life and the boys get to change
one life, and we all get to change one life,
(07:59):
collectively becomes thousands. Do you tell us what you meant
by that club because it has so much meeting into it. Yeah.
So it's this idea of the butterfly effects. So one
small change can lead to another small change, and that
small change gets bigger until it becomes kind of this
global it's like phenomenon on, this global impact. And and
(08:21):
I think that's a prime example of what you guys
have done, where you've used your creativity and you use
your talents to go ahead and just make something as
simple as a pair of socks that you wouldn't think otherwise,
but really make a difference in people's eyes. You're you
guys are making a difference in a foundation that you
donate to and and in my safe token. Uh, you know,
(08:41):
just one day of being happy and going going ahead
and like reaching out to a friend, and then then
then them being happy and reaching out to another friend.
You don't realize the small change that you can make
in the world. So it's that idea that like one
can become many, and many can become the whole world,
(09:02):
and and that that's the idea. I guess I kind
of take onto pursuing medicine if I can change one
kid's life, But if that kid goes up to be
the next innovator, the next president, the next big thing,
you know, how big of an impact can you make
if you don't let yourself make that change. So yeah,
that's kind of what it means, I guess if you
want to really elaborate, but the video puts in the
(09:23):
simplest terms. So Melie, we want to thank you for
being on our podcast today and telling us all of
these wonderful things, and well, thank you for being here.
Wrist guys. I can't wait to see the Fox, can't
wait to buy the box, can't wait to cook you
guys some lunch some day. Thank you for having me
on the podcast. I really appreciate it. And I have
(09:44):
another question, what do you think about our lady's sock,
the stand up to cancer socks. I just got a
picture of them right now, and honestly, they remind me
so much of There's this. One night during treatment, actually
I watched the stand up to cancer Um telethon that
they had over the TV, and I remember, it's just
a memory, you know. It brought back a memory of
(10:06):
my Ponte family kind of sitting around me and and
looking at the numbers go up on the funds coming
in from the telephones, and and I see that. I
see you guys doing that right now. Just that impact
of really seen the socks and and having so many
people buy them, and you guys really don't You won't
realize how much of an impact you're going to make
(10:27):
with these socks and with future socks until until they
become the next biggest thing, which they already are here,
but can you imagine them being sold across the world
like big things. Like everybody wears these socks and they
know what they mean. So that's what that's what I see.
That they're impressive. That's all I can say is they're
really impressive. Well, thank you for being here. And I
(10:49):
have one last things, just one last thing to say.
Can you make pizza? I can definitely make pizza, any
kind of pizza you want to see this flat bread, normal,
extra cheese, anything you guys want. I'll take a cheese,
but no pineapple. That's just that's weird. Really, pineapple belongs
on pizza guys for real. Yeah all right, well, thank
(11:14):
you Milly Um. We love you so much. Thank you
for you and anything you guys need. You know, I'm
here for you, I'm here for the socks, and we're
just here to make that impact. So bye, bye bye.
You just heard Are You Kidding? Podcast with brothers Sebastian
and Brandon Martinez, who are kids Helping kids
This is are you getting podcast? I can listen with
my kids. Come on, kids with brothers Sebastian and Brandon Martinez,
who are kids helping kids. Hey guys, today we're talking
to an amazing kids to survivor who has also been
our friend for over five years. Melanie, Welcome to our podcast. Well, first,
we want to thank you for supporting our initiatives. No,
of course I remember actually going back to even before
(00:24):
UM I had gotten sick and everything and seeing you
guys support the pediatric cancer and community. Uh, you guys
had done socks for the Light the Night founding like
the Light to Night with the Lukimia and Lamphoma Foundation,
and I had bought those socks and I was a
representative with them too, So it goes beyond um what
you guys have started. And it's crazy to see the
(00:45):
socks grow from from simple designs to designs with stories
just like all of us. So so it's pretty cool.
As much of the best thing it is to you guys,
it's a blessing to me. So well, we are honored
to help everyone, you know, because we don't want to
just help like you know ourselves. You know, we also
want to help everyone out because like a lot of
(01:05):
people like they need help and we are here to
give out our hands to help them. And we we
want to know we tell us about We want to
know more about your journey was with cancer and how
your you use your journey to impact the lives of us.
So my journey with cancer started, um when I was twelve,
So it was the summer of two thousand fourteen, and
(01:27):
I was diagnosed with leukemia and treatment was three years long,
and I finished, and I came out strong, and and
you guys followed me with with lives like DOLLA and
the foundation and the and the socks and seeing the
sock cops every year. But now out of it, things
have kind of taken a change where you know, I'm
not in the hospital as much, but I still keep
(01:48):
in contact without my friends, still going through it and
the impact I guess I've made, you know, aside from
from the socks and and pushing it at the schools
and stuff. Um, it's just my own you know, moving
forward in life. I've you know, spent the seven weeks
at a program at the University Seat of Me at
Miami because I want to pursue medicine because of what
(02:11):
I've been through, and I've realized that, you know, there's
a problem in the world, and that's that kids are
getting cancer. And if there's something that I can do
to change that, I'm gonna go ahead and use that
energy to fight just as hard as I did before
for others this time. So that's my journey and that's
how I'm hoping to impact the people around me. Well,
(02:33):
you said that you wanted to be a doctor, But
did you want to be a doctor before you got leukimia?
Because after you got leukimia, did you see that not
just you that need to help, but other people need
to help in the hospitals. So did you feel that
you want to be a doctor before? I actually wanted
to be a chef when I was living and from
like the time I was seven to freshman year of
(02:56):
high school, I wanted to be a chef. I I
took culinary in the ninth grade, and you know, I
got sick. I went into a treatment and everything and
and even outside of treatment, I um I had been told, oh,
you have the heart of a doctor, you have a
passion for it. And I told everyone that I was
going to stay away as far from the hospital as
I could, And for some reason, it kept coming back
(03:17):
to me, this idea that I can make a difference
in kids like me, um and who body too who?
But what better of a person could be than somebody
that I once needed? And so that drive of like
knowing that me knowing that I can know something that
nobody else will and bring that to the medical field
(03:38):
was kind of what changed. So No, I didn't want
to be a doctor before and even in treatment, I
kind of pushed back the idea until until I realized
that I kind of avoid it, that that's what that's
the problem I want to fix, and and that's what
I'm gonna do to fix it. Well, you said you
wanted to be a chef when you're older. What do
you like cooking? Oh man, that's that's a crazy question.
(04:01):
So most of the times the meals that my mom
cooked or my greatgrandmother, but um, baking is my favorite.
So oftentimes, like whenever my friends are in a rut,
or someone's upset, or like just somebody's just not feeling
good in my family, I'll go ahead and bake cookies.
And then rules I make smoothies at home, or sometimes
(04:22):
I'll pick up dinner, uh and make dinner at the
house so that my mom doesn't have to do it.
So whether or not cooking is for the actual cooking
or just to make people happy, I haven't deciphered that.
But but those are the meals I kind of cook.
So baking and home cooked dinners are my favorite. They
sound delicious. But are you a good shot if I
(04:44):
saw a restaurant material you never know? Oh for sure.
Now you guys can come over and we have munch together.
But I think I'm pretty good. I've had my grandpa
tell me that I can have run my own restaurant
in my own hospital, and I'm like those those dunes
are too a big. I could pick one or the other. Um,
but I think I'm pretty good. I sister like my
cooking too. So well, maybe somebody who is very sick
(05:08):
is listening to our podcast right now, So what words
of inspiration would you give them? Well, other than what
they've probably already heard before, you know, to keep writing,
to not lose hope things get better. I've heard oh
my lad, I've heard it gets worse before it gets
better so many times. But at the same time, especially
like for people who are older and and um very
(05:31):
sick that I understand it more. Don't let um, don't
let yourself be so strong that you forget to take
care of yourself. You know, there's a lot of people
around you that are being strong for you, and it's
okay to break down every now and then and and
feel the emotions and go through what you're going through.
But you just kind of take that as a lesson
(05:52):
that life's throwing at you and just move forward and
be a kid like I remember being so best have
been to you did that at a pediatric hospital because
I had friends that were treated at different hospitals and
and they didn't get a chance to live that same
playful life during treatment. So as as scary as it
(06:13):
all may seem, life is an over So just keep
moving forward, keeping a kid, and fall back on the
ones closest to you and definitely makes your story worth
worth something because if you if you go through it
and you have some story to tell in some way
to impact somebody, why wouldn't you. So you just gave
(06:35):
up kids who are battling cancer some great, great advice,
but also what would you give the family members of
the kids are going through this. You're not alone, and uh,
you're doing your best. You're not alone, and you're doing
your best, and there's no reason for you to pub
blame on yourself for anything that might have happened. That's
(06:56):
not how life works, I believe. I think things are
just circumstanced and it just you got to move forward
and the same thing as the kids like you can
go ahead and be strong for the people around you,
but fall back, you know, take care of yourself because
if you're taking one all the way and you end
up making yourself sick, then but what help are you?
You know, there's definitely a community even outside of your
(07:17):
own family that's willing to to let you know, cry
on your shoulder or or give you the support that
you need within the hospital, outside at home. So you're
not alone. Mally, you said something to us a long
time ago, and we always remember. And my mom has
the phone and we're gonna place a video right now,
and we want to know why it means so much
(07:37):
to you. It's enlightening, it's hopeful, and it just it
brings the spirit of happiness. You know, two kids like
me and now to be able to be a part
of the kids Helping Kids initiative. It's something so amazing
and out of this world. And even though I get
to change one life and the boys get to change
one life, and we all get to change one life,
(07:59):
collectively becomes thousands. Do you tell us what you meant
by that club because it has so much meeting into it. Yeah.
So it's this idea of the butterfly effects. So one
small change can lead to another small change, and that
small change gets bigger until it becomes kind of this
global it's like phenomenon on, this global impact. And and
(08:21):
I think that's a prime example of what you guys
have done, where you've used your creativity and you use
your talents to go ahead and just make something as
simple as a pair of socks that you wouldn't think otherwise,
but really make a difference in people's eyes. You're you
guys are making a difference in a foundation that you
donate to and and in my safe token. Uh, you know,
(08:41):
just one day of being happy and going going ahead
and like reaching out to a friend, and then then
then them being happy and reaching out to another friend.
You don't realize the small change that you can make
in the world. So it's that idea that like one
can become many, and many can become the whole world,
(09:02):
and and that that's the idea. I guess I kind
of take onto pursuing medicine if I can change one
kid's life, But if that kid goes up to be
the next innovator, the next president, the next big thing,
you know, how big of an impact can you make
if you don't let yourself make that change. So yeah,
that's kind of what it means, I guess if you
want to really elaborate, but the video puts in the
(09:23):
simplest terms. So Melie, we want to thank you for
being on our podcast today and telling us all of
these wonderful things, and well, thank you for being here.
Wrist guys. I can't wait to see the Fox, can't
wait to buy the box, can't wait to cook you
guys some lunch some day. Thank you for having me
on the podcast. I really appreciate it. And I have
(09:44):
another question, what do you think about our lady's sock,
the stand up to cancer socks. I just got a
picture of them right now, and honestly, they remind me
so much of There's this. One night during treatment, actually
I watched the stand up to cancer Um telethon that
they had over the TV, and I remember, it's just
a memory, you know. It brought back a memory of
(10:06):
my Ponte family kind of sitting around me and and
looking at the numbers go up on the funds coming
in from the telephones, and and I see that. I
see you guys doing that right now. Just that impact
of really seen the socks and and having so many
people buy them, and you guys really don't You won't
realize how much of an impact you're going to make
(10:27):
with these socks and with future socks until until they
become the next biggest thing, which they already are here,
but can you imagine them being sold across the world
like big things. Like everybody wears these socks and they
know what they mean. So that's what that's what I see.
That they're impressive. That's all I can say is they're
really impressive. Well, thank you for being here. And I
(10:49):
have one last things, just one last thing to say.
Can you make pizza? I can definitely make pizza, any
kind of pizza you want to see this flat bread, normal,
extra cheese, anything you guys want. I'll take a cheese,
but no pineapple. That's just that's weird. Really, pineapple belongs
on pizza guys for real. Yeah all right, well, thank
(11:14):
you Milly Um. We love you so much. Thank you
for you and anything you guys need. You know, I'm
here for you, I'm here for the socks, and we're
just here to make that impact. So bye, bye bye.
You just heard Are You Kidding? Podcast with brothers Sebastian
and Brandon Martinez, who are kids Helping kids
Popular Podcasts
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Special Summer Offer: Exclusively on Apple Podcasts, try our Dateline Premium subscription completely free for one month! With Dateline Premium, you get every episode ad-free plus exclusive bonus content.
The Breakfast Club
The World's Most Dangerous Morning Show, The Breakfast Club, With DJ Envy, Jess Hilarious, And Charlamagne Tha God!
Crime Junkie
Does hearing about a true crime case always leave you scouring the internet for the truth behind the story? Dive into your next mystery with Crime Junkie. Every Monday, join your host Ashley Flowers as she unravels all the details of infamous and underreported true crime cases with her best friend Brit Prawat. From cold cases to missing persons and heroes in our community who seek justice, Crime Junkie is your destination for theories and stories you won’t hear anywhere else. Whether you're a seasoned true crime enthusiast or new to the genre, you'll find yourself on the edge of your seat awaiting a new episode every Monday. If you can never get enough true crime... Congratulations, you’ve found your people. Follow to join a community of Crime Junkies! Crime Junkie is presented by audiochuck Media Company.