Walking the halls of Judson High School, Sha’Tavia Bratcher is just like any other sophomore… except for the fact that she had cancer.

“I was diagnosed with Non-Hodgkin lymphoma cancer on November 23^rd of last year,” Bratcher said.

Non-Hodgkin lymphoma is a cancer that starts in cells called lymphocytes, which are parts of the body’s immune system. Lymphocytes are located in the lymph nodes and other lymphoid tissues.

Bratcher has had a tough journey here at Judson. Her dark times just seemed to continue to get darker and darker.

“When they first told me I was diagnosed, I was kind of scared, thought I was going to die,” Bratcher said.

She came to school every day with a fake smile plastered on her face, knowing in her mind that she was dying. Eventually, it got to the point to where she couldn’t even get up and come to school.

“I couldn’t really go places. I was hospitalized for a month,” Bratcher said. “I couldn’t really go back to school until this year. It put me behind in school.”

Nevertheless, how does one continue to live through cancer, and still manage to positive? They find a light, the little light in the darkness that continues to give you just a little bit of hope.

“I talked to some people that had the same cancer and survived it,” Bratcher said. “That encouraged me more to get through it. My family continues to inspire me, especially my mom.”

Everyone has a battle that they are facing. However, the beautiful part is that despite the situation, we are still able to get up and fight back every day. Bratcher continues to battle without the thought of giving up ever crossing her mind.

After a hard battle and continuous doubts, Bratcher beat cancer. She now walks the halls with less worry than before, excited to see where the rest of her life takes her. She continues to stay humble and positive.

“I definitely take life less lightly now and see it more as a privilege not to be wasted,” Bratcher concluded.