Making a Difference and Telemundo:”DANCING FOR A DREAM” Alejandro

Alejandro Valenzuela is a 16 year old boy and sophomore attending Southwest High School. Alejandro says that at the end of last year, he started feeling dizzy and was always tired, but he’s always stayed very active and social. His mother says she noticed a change in her son and decided to take him to the doctor. Shortly after Alejandro was diagnosed with Leukemia. “I had a lot of family there when they broke it to me and it was shocking and I did cry but I knew that everything was going to be ok thanks to god”, says Alejandro. Due to his illness going to school had to be put on hold , something he says he really misses. “I miss being with my friends and the experience of going to school” he says. Although he knows it’s for his own good, going to school puts his health at greater risk. “In school there is a lot of germs and sicknesses and if I was to get sick then all my defenses would be low and my parents don’t want that”, Alejandro says. The sixteen year old still keeps in touch with his friends, whom he says along with his family they motivate him to stay optimistic and be a positive role model. He says, “they can’t believe, they’re like how can you be so positive and I tell them i just have to be an example for others who are going to through this and show them there is hope and that everything will be ok.” Alejandro continues with treatments and chemotherapy and says that according to doctors he will continue with maintenance during the next 2 years. His dream is to go back to school and after graduating pursue a career in nursing,to help those in the battle against cancer and be like him, who tells his own story of hope.