At Ada High School there are some students with stories most could never imagine. There are students who have done incredible things, overcome the odds, triumphed through pain, and came out victorious after it all. Many of these students tend to keep their struggles away from the spotlight, but a few are willing to share.

Marleigh McClure is a senior at Ada High, and she is one of the students with an amazing journey. She’s just 17, but she is wise beyond her years.

When she was just 8 years old, she was diagnosed with Neuroblastoma, which is a common cancer in children. After hearing this diagnosis, the doctors jumped on her case to help treat her. However, in a twist of fate, their diagnosis turned out to be wrong. When they removed her tumor it turned out that McClure had Ganglioneuroma, a non-cancerous tumor. This came as a relief to her and her family, as before they were worried it could be a much worse, even deadly, situation.

Since her tumor turned out to not be cancerous, she did not have to go through chemo-therapy like she would’ve otherwise had to. Instead, she only had to go through two surgeries to remove the tumor. The first was a biopsy of the tumor, which is where the doctors examine the area and decide the extent of the disease and try to find the cause of it. The second was the actual removal of the tumor. Both surgeries went smoothly and the tumor was safely removed.

Her family and friends held her hand through the whole thing, says McClure.

“My parents never showed me they were scared. Since I was young it never scared me either. My friends were so supportive, I couldn’t have a better support system,” McClure said.

Along with family, she also had doctors that worked diligently to make her feel confident in her procedures. The relationship she has with them is still strong.

“I’m so grateful for my doctors, they really saved my life. I became really close with them and still talk to them to this day” said McClure.

McClure is only one of the many people who has suffered through difficult times and come out being the person she is today. She’s overcome odds, and had incredible people with her along the way.