MTV Star Diem Brown's Cancer Diagnosis Led Her to Form a Charity
MTV star and cancer survivor Diem Brown, who appeared on "MTV Challenges" and who is currently starring on MTV "The Challenge: Battle of the Exes," says a cancer diagnosis led her to form her own charity called MedGift.
Brown who was raised in Georgia says she is taking part in MTV's action-adventure elimination show to raise awareness for her charity which gives seriously ill people a forum to express their urgent needs and have them also met.
"It's the first ever Patient Gift Registry. Any patient, from cancer to car accidents to wounded warriors, can list their hospital bills, ask for wigs, wheelchairs, certain foods or cosmetics. Their friends, family and co-workers can then go on and select an item from their patient gift registry, without even having to ask," Brown told FOX411's Pop Tarts column.
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"I wanted to make MedGift mainstream, so the second someone has a medical misfortune, they know where to turn."
Brown, who was diagnosed with ovarian cancer at the age of 22, is well aware how frightening being seriously ill can be. She says her own cancer diagnosis made her feel terribly scared and alone.
"I was so scared when I found out I had cancer, I did not know anyone who had cancer, other friends grandparents or the kids I saw on St. Jude's commercials. And I wasn't a kid anymore, but I wasn't an adult really either," she said. "I didn't have savings at all yet, and I was scared to tell my dad because we had just lost my mom a couple years prior, and I didn't want my dad to worry."
Brown, says her Catholic faith got her through the hardest days, and says too that doing the show helped her through her struggle.
"I feel so lucky to have gone on these shows they have helped me in real ways and I will forever be grateful to the producers and MTV for letting me be a part of their shows," she said.
