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AUBURN, Ala. (WBRC) – An Auburn cheerleader faced the fight of his life before his senior year: he was diagnosed with cancer.
Meet Auburn cheerleader Cameron Monistere.
“My name is Cameron Monistere. I go to Auburn University. This year I graduate in May of 2023. My major is hospitality management with an emphasis in culinary sciences and a minor in business.”
Being a senior in college has its stresses, but the roar of an Auburn game has always been Cameron’s escape.
“Cheerleading has always been my escape from college,” said Cameron.
In between working as a private chef and cheering, Cameron realized he had a swollen lymph node so he went in for testing.
“On June 26, I got a phone call from UAB saying I had been referred to them before I had heard anything from anyone else,” said Cameron.
Just moments later, Cameron was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s Lymphoma.
“So for like five seconds, I was the most scared I had been in my entire life,” said Cameron.
But on the sixth second, something changed.
“And it was more like determination, motivation, how can I beat this. I’ll just add it to my schedule and we’ll figure it out from there.”
He worked doctor appointments at UAB into his already busy schedule, never missing a practice or a game.
“Every Tuesday I would drive up to Birmingham, I would have my treatment. As soon as I was done with it, I would drive back.”
Less than six months later, Cameron is now cancer free, a feeling he describes as a breath of fresh air. Now he uses his experience to encourage others with busy lives to always take care of themselves first.
“I didn’t really have time to think about what was going on with me. And I think that’s the case with a lot of men at college and women as well is that they’re doing so much that they don’t take the time to take care of themselves physically so mentally.”
Cameron now knows if he can cheer for Auburn, continue to cook as a private chef, work towards his degree and beat cancer, he can do anything.
“I figured if I could push through these next few years, or no matter how long; I didn’t know how long it was going to take if I could push through this, life was not gonna be easy, but I’ll say I could go through it confidently knowing that I’ll be fine,” said Cameron.
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