Praise and gratitude echoed through the halls of Broward Health Medical Center Thursday as doctors and nurses welcomed Chad Leventhal into their arms.
The 20-year-old was only 12 when he was diagnosed with cancer and given a 1% chance to survive brain surgery.
Chad's mother compared the tumultuous journey to a rollercoaster.
“You’re feeling really great, points where you’re feeling really low, points where you want to throw up, points where you’re nervous, and you aren’t sure you want to get back on that ride," Micki Leventhal said.
Get South Florida local news, weather forecasts and entertainment stories to your inbox. Sign up for NBC South Florida newsletters.
Chad got back on the ride, alright. His neurosurgeon, who shares Chad's name, said his brain tumor was the size of a softball.
“It was a very difficult tumor to resect, it was in the posterior fossa, which is the back of the head, a very dangerous area," said Dr. Chad Roberts, Chief of Neurosurgery at Broward Health Medical Center. "My name is Chad too, I had to take care of him."
The surgery was successful, but the ride continued when they learned the cancer had spread to his spine.
Local
Chad battled 44 rounds of chemotherapy, and eight years later, he's cancer-free. He's an FAU student, studying psychology and just enjoying life.
“I used to be a completely normal kid playing baseball and having a normal childhood and then all of a sudden, I couldn’t do anything," Chad said. "To finally be back having a normal life, it’s very big. Going to college, being able to do things is very huge."
And what better way to celebrate than to thank the people who helped make it possible, on Doctor's Day? Hugs went all around for the doctors, nurses and staff who cared for Chad all those years.
The relief and appreciation from his mother are priceless.
“They give us hope, positivity, plans so that the future can happen and it’s happening and it’s amazing, you are amazing," said Micki Leventhal.
