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A student from Texas, United States defied the odds and beat stage 4 cancer, allowing him to graduate high school on time.
Joshua Suarez, a senior student at Woodrow Wilson High School in Dallas, was only 15 years old when he was diagnosed with stage 4 testicular cancer on his sophomore year in 2016, as per Fox 13 on May 16. Suarez, at that time, suddenly found himself unable to breathe while in class.
“I coughed. And as I coughed, my lungs sort of contracted,” he said in the report.
A series of tests led to his diagnosis of stage 4 testicular cancer, which had already spread to his lungs. The diagnosis, as per Suarez, felt like a death sentence: “I really thought this is it. This is the end for me.”
No time was wasted as Suarez was brought in for surgery and immediately pulled out of school by his family to be put on chemotherapy. His mother is a cancer survivor herself while his late aunt had sarcoma that also spread to her lungs, as per report.
Despite being diagnosed with stage 4 cancer, Suarez continued to keep up with school work and even took an AP biology class in preparation for college. He drew his strength from his family, notably his brother, who sent him a message of encouragement.
“God gives his hardest obstacles to his strongest soldiers. And as soon as I got that text, I just knew God was with me,” Suarez said. “Whatever God has planned for me, I accept. If it’s to fight, I’m fighting until the end. But if it’s not, I’m ready to go.”
And fought he did. A year and a half later, Suarez was told by doctors he was cancer-free. And in just a few days, he will be marching up the stage to claim his high school diploma.
“To say that I’ve beaten cancer is to say what can I not beat?” Suarez was quoted as saying. “Going across that stage is more proof I’ve made it.”
Suarez is graduating on May 25 and will attend Albion College in Michigan in 2020. He wants to double major in art and pre-medical studies, and dreams of becoming an oncologist to help other cancer patients. Cody Cepeda/JB
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