15.08.2021 Ivan will be turning 18 years old. And maybe on this very day his dream will come true!

Traveling, winning tournaments, creating his own projects – These aren't just dreams, but also things Ivan Grib is actively working towards. After entering his first year at university, he was diagnosed with Hodgkin's lymphoma. This is a malignant disease of the lymphatic system; lymphocytes, as we know, are designed to protect the body from infections and diseases. In this interview, Ivan shared his story of battling lymphoma, as well as his hobbies, plans, and ambitions.

— When and how did you find out about your disease?

— It's a really strange situation, to be honest. In the summer, before applying, I took a course I had a medical examination for registration, but they didn't notice anything at the time and, accordingly, didn't say anything. I was admitted, studied for a while, and then I just started worrying about a lump in my groin area. So I went to my family doctor, and he sent me to a surgeon. After a while, I had surgery, and based on the examination results, they said it was cancer.

— How did your treatment go?

— I was given IVs, pills, and medications through a catheter. I had another surgery in the spring, but it wasn't related to this disease. I'm currently in remission.

— Who supports you in difficult times?

— My family probably supports me more than anyone else, and I think my father does it the most. For me, this support has been Important.

— You're currently studying at university. What do you want to be?

— If I were to name my major, it's called «Secondary Education in Computer Science and English». But in reality, I'm studying to be a school teacher. Why? I just found this major interesting and, in my case, cleverly convenient. My main subject – is computer science, and it involves all sorts of computer work. We also learn programming languages. So it turns out that during the day, while you're working with children, you have access to a computer. And if you have a test, a practical, or something similar, you can work on programming on the side; after which you can either sell or publish your projects. But, really, that's all on paper, but how it will actually turn out is still unknown. – What are your hobbies?

—

— I have quite a few, but the most obvious – is that I love playing computer games. I also wrestled, played guitar, and tried all sorts of activities with the kids at school and in the yard.

— You mentioned you'd like to attend a DOTA tournament someday. 2 Please tell me more about that.

— Once a year, the creators of this game host an international tournament and raise a prize fund through voluntary contributions from players. The most interesting thing is that each year they raise a larger and larger prize fund than in previous years. This year, the tournament is taking place in the capital of Romania, – Bucharest. And if we're lucky, my friends and I want to attend at least the final.

— If you win such a tournament, what will you do with the prize fund?

— Assuming I win, I would spend my share of the prize fund as follows: give half to my parents for everything they've done for me; most likely, buy my own apartment; and try to invest the rest in a business or something similar, so as not to waste it.

— What are your dreams?

— My dreams are quite broad and depend very much on me. Some of them include traveling to every night city in the world, living a season in Japan, and writing my own game.

— What attracts you to Japan?

— Honestly, I'm very interested in their culture. And, perhaps not unimportantly, I've become quite interested in anime. My favorites are «Hunter X Hunter», «Death Note» and «No Play, No Life».

— You said you once learned to play the guitar — not a regular one, but one converted from a seven-string to a six-string — and that one of your wishes was to have a new acoustic guitar. How did the guitar come into your life?

— About 5-6 years ago, when I was in school, I wasn't particularly interested in anything and didn't go anywhere. Then I thought I needed to occupy myself with something. So I gave my parents the challenge of — sending me to music school to learn guitar. I studied for three years on an old, converted 7 string guitar, and my deepest desire was to have a proper, new acoustic guitar. 6

— What would you wish for other kids who are currently battling illnesses?

— I want to wish them a speedy recovery, happiness, success, and strength. May their dreams and wishes come true!

I spoke with Ivan and recorded an interview. Mary Novoselya.

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