Cancer is a terrible disease, and one that is as merciless as it is painfully cruel.
Each year, millions of lives are altered forever by this blight on humanity. The day we find a cure might just go down as our finest medical triumph to date.
Until then, we can work towards a future without cancer while being inspired by the stories of those who have gone toe-to-toe with the sickness and fought the good fight.
8-year-old Zoe Figueroa is one such warrior. Having battled for 16 long months against cancer, she recently got the news that she was done with treatment.
It’s perhaps what she did in the aftermath of her victory, however, that speaks the loudest over her incredible strength of character.
When Zoe was diagnosed with stage 4 neuroblastoma in February of 2018, her odds of survival weren’t great. She had a tumor from her chest to her pelvis, and as her mom, Sheena, explained to Inside Edition: “Fifty percent of kids don’t make it.”
But Zoe’s built of tough stuff. She underwent seven cycles of gruelling chemotherapy, as well as radiation therapy, surgery, immunotherapy, and two stem cell transplants.
She finished her treatment just in time to celebrate her eighth birthday, and boy, was it a big one.
To pay tribute to their little girl’s strength and positivity, her family threw her a birthday party which some 250 guests would attend.
“When we started in this, we weren’t sure if she would make it or she wouldn’t,” Sheena said.
“It was really important for us to commemorate what she had been through by celebrating her and her life with a party.
“Now we go back to normal life, she can go back to school, we can do things as a family that we weren’t able to do before. It’s just a blessing. A huge blessing.”
A blessing indeed. What’s more, Zoe cast a spotlight on the true depths of her amazing soul, by deciding to donate all of her birthday gifts to children who are still fighting cancer at the hospital where she was treated. We know, right! What a magnificent little girl.
Zoe, you’re an inspiration to us all. We’re so happy you beat cancer, and so proud of you for selflessly donating your gifts.
Please share this article to show you stand with us in the fight against cancer. Together, we can beat it!
