Me and My Dad

From the very beginning, my dad and I have always been close. We play golf, video games, and annoy my mom together constantly. My name is Emery, and I created Saving Dads with my dad, Jason. When I first learned that my dad had HPV-related throat cancer, I did not know how to react. I simply said, “Okay,” got up, and went back to watching TV. It did not feel real yet.

Later that day, when I told someone from my school, I laughed, not because it was funny, but because I could not believe it. My dad was strong. He was always there for me. In my mind, he was not someone who could get sick. I honestly cannot remember one time my dad was sick. It was like he was saving all his strength for something important, even if we didnt know it at the time. 

I kept asking myself, why my dad? What I did not understand at the time was that this same question is asked every day by families all over the world affected by HPV-related cancer. That realization is what led us to create Saving Dads.

I was part of the COVID generation. I left second grade for a ski trip over spring break and never went back. The rest of second grade and part of third were online, and I built a HEPA filter for my fourth grade classroom. My family really wanted the vaccine. My parents got it as soon as it came out—on New Year’s Eve in 2020. It was cold and pouring rain, and we waited outside for hours. I was only seven, so I wasn’t allowed to get it yet. 

I really wanted the vaccine. I missed traveling and seeing my grandparents. My grandpa is immunocompromised, so all our visits were masked in their backyard. I really wanted to help, and my mom found a vaccine trial for kids. I was one of the first kids to get the Moderna vaccine. Before that, I used to cry every time I had to get a shot. But during the trial, I started thinking about it differently—I wasn’t just getting a shot, I was helping science. I got used to blood draws and needles, and I was proud to be part of history.

When it was time for the HPV vaccine, I didn’t hesitate. My doctor explained it could prevent cancer, and that made sense to me. I just didn’t realize that a couple of years later, I’d be sitting here going through this with my dad.

If I could prevent even one person from getting cancer, I would do it. That’s why I’m sharing this—because the HPV vaccine can save lives. It could save dads.