When Ian was four years old, a routine trip to the dentist changed everything. After receiving a Novocaine injection, a bulge appeared on his right temple. What followed was nine long months of uncertainty and misdiagnosis until doctors discovered a tumor in his cheek. Ian was diagnosed with stage 4 rhabdomyosarcoma, a rare tissue cancer.
His treatment plan was aggressive: surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation. Although Ian was too young to understand the full weight of what was happening to him, he remembers it all. “The smell of the hand sanitizer that everyone had to put on their hands before entering my room to examine or even visit me, or even just seeing a road sign that we passed on the drive to the city,” he recalls. Even “Charlie,” the IV pole he named and stood on as his mom pushed him down the hospital hallways.
At the age of five, Ian had completed his treatment, and life moved forward. But at the age of 14, another dentist visit revealed a small bulge on the roof of his mouth and a second diagnosis— osteosarcoma of the palate.
This time, Ian was old enough to understand everything. The surgeries were more invasive, and the chemotherapy was much harsher.
“Removal of my palate and upper jaw was the first step. I lived 9 months mostly in the hospital under the spell of chemotherapy and drugs fighting yet again to survive and beat cancer,” he says. During his last cycle of chemo, Ian developed a sepsis infection that nearly cost him his life.
He continued his schoolwork at home and, after completing his treatment, returned to high school, graduating with a 4.0 GPA.
Ian then graduated summa cum laude with his bachelor’s degree from Syracuse University.
Today, Ian’s working in the accounting field and thriving in life. While he lives with a prosthetic palate and upper jaw, Ian never lets that hold him back.
He faced cancer not once, but twice—and won. Ian’s journey is a powerful reminder of what’s possible when care and community come together.
He adds, “With organizations like Hope and Heroes, more kids fighting cancer will be able to be survivors like me. Thank you, Hope and Heroes, for all you do and for allowing me to share my story to inspire others to keep fighting and never give up.”
