At 17, just before prom, I was diagnosed with Stage 3 cancer and was about to start chemotherapy. Ashamed of my hair loss and afraid of people’s reactions, I wanted to skip prom, but my date, Leo, convinced me to go.<\/p>\n
At the dance, Leo shocked everyone by shaving his head in solidarity. Then his mother revealed an even bigger surprise: Leo, his family, teachers, local businesses, and community members had worked together to secure me an emergency appointment with a top oncology specialist and access to an advanced treatment program.<\/p>\n
The months that followed were difficult, but Leo never left my side. Six months later, my scans showed major improvement, and I proudly graduated. What I thought would be the end of my story became the beginning of hope.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"