Jessica Foss, a junior at CMU, appears to be your average college student. As a counseling psychology major, Foss spends a lot of time on campus, Her friendly smile shines brightly. It is what isn’t seen that makes her so different.
Foss was three when her parents split up. In elementary school, she started getting teased for her looks. At age 13, she lost her best friend Josh, a person she regarded more as a brother than friend.
“My brother had to take the place of my dad. I found a brother in Josh. Then he died,” Foss said. “Being in his house was the only place I wanted to be after his death. I felt he would still be there.”
She still remembers Josh’s birthday and talks about him like he’s just away on a trip.
After losing Josh and going through a typical teen’s growing pains, Foss found comfort riding her horse, Irish. On her most difficult days, Foss headed to the barn where Irish stayed to release stress.
“He is one of the few reasons I’m strong today,” Foss said.
During the spring of her freshman year, Foss began experiencing abdominal pain. Her doctor informed her that her appendix was close to rupturing and that she needed an emergency appendectomy. The surgery went well and Foss returned to school a few days later.
But afterward, her appendix was biopsied and showed carcinoid cancer, a slow growing cancer that has no treatment options. She was lucky the cancer was isolated to her appendix. Doctors said that if she had waited any longer and her appendix had ruptured, the cancer would have spread and her life would have been shortened.
“God watches over me, Josh watches over me,” Foss said.
Her attitude keeps her strong. She is blunt and honest. She speaks with her heart.
Foss said that her inspiration is her mom.
“She’s gone through everything I have and more. She’s an absolute angel,” Foss said. “Watching her stay strong, not give up on herself and continue to love and cherish life, helped me realize that with every painful moment there are so many to be thankful for.”
Foss writes music and sings to turn her struggles into something beautiful. She keeps notebooks filled with years of song lyrics. Some of her music she records and shares. She has a dream of making it to the big stages but for right now she is comfortable using her music as a form of therapy.
Foss hopes to encourage others through her story to not judge people based on their appearance.
“Don’t assume by the clothes people wear, the house they grew up in or the car they drive that they have a perfect life,” Foss said. “Take a second to look on the inside to see what that person has gone through in their life. You may be surprised.”

bmmartin@mavs.coloradomesa.edu