📌 1. Summary Explainer – “Survivorship at 60: A Record They Never Measured”

Longtermsurvivor 1

Who I Am: Joseph Perusic, diagnosed with Wilms tumor in 1965. Treated at Texas Children’s Hospital. No long-term survivorship follow-up provided. Now 60 years post-treatment and documenting systemic neglect, long-term complications, and unacknowledged survivorship.

What I’ve Experienced:

• Multiple medical complications traced to late effects of treatment (vascular obstructions, renal impairment, subdural hematoma, stroke)
• Decades without coordinated follow-up care or survivor monitoring
• Denial of identity as a survivor by major institutions
• Emotional and financial burden from unacknowledged medical history

Why It Matters: Survivors like me are the evidence that the cure had consequences. My archive documents not only my medical timeline, but the system’s failure to prepare for us. This isn’t just personal—it’s a warning, a map, a call for action and recognition.