PALM HARBOR, Fla. — When you overcome a life-threatening illness, it can make you appreciate the time you have. It's good to know people will use some of that time helping others. A Palm Harbor teen who survived a brush with cancer now leans on that experience volunteering to help people who don't have much time left.
"Overcoming cancer has helped me learn that life is valuable and fragile and that certain things that happen can affect the outcome of my life."
At a recent Relay for Life event, 16 year old Hunter Markowich spoke about what it was like to be diagnosed with cancer at the age of 8.
"I had T-cell lymphoma," Markowich said. "It was a very scary time for my family and friends."
Hunter's mom, Michelle, says everything happened so quickly.
"They caught it in time," Michelle said. "He had surgery across his neck to remove it. They went into his lymph nodes. They removed what they saw there."
Several years before that, when Hunter was 3. Michelle says he was diagnosed with autism.
"And it was like a big surprise to us. We knew about autism, but you don't think your child has it to that degree," she explained.
At the time, it was Hunter's VPK teacher Sally Waldron who brought comfort to the family.
"And she just, she saw... she saw past that with her experience and you don't forget that," Michelle said.
Hunter immediately bonded with her.
"She was very special to me. She was my VPK teacher and she held me in her lap."
Eight years later, Michelle found out that Sally was dying at Suncoast Hospice, so they went to visit her and she immediately recognized Hunter.
"What was really profound for Hunter is that he was able to thank her for being a great teacher you know and that he loved her," Michelle said.
That visit to Suncoast Hospice inspired Hunter to begin volunteering there two years ago.
Kathi Wendt is the volunteer coordinator.
"You could just automatically tell that he was here for a reason and it wasn't just to earn service hours for scholarship, that the reason he was here was because of something really close to his heart," Wendt explained.
Hunter just wants to be an example for others.
"I know that by being brave, I can help others to feel like how I feel," Hunter said.
A teenager who has overcome so much and now helps others during life's most fragile moments.
"I want to change the world in some way."
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