A Texas teen triumphs over cancer’s relentless return, preparing to graduate high school despite multiple diagnoses since age 11.
TYLER, Texas — A Texas teen is defying the odds after facing cancer four separate times since childhood, now preparing to walk across the graduation stage at Tyler High School.
Her family says the milestone was once uncertain, as her medical journey began when she was just 11-years-old and has included years of treatment, setbacks and repeated diagnoses.
“I’ve had cancer, but cancer is not me,” Nelson said. “God has me here for a reason.”
Makayla Nelson was diagnosed in the sixth grade with kidney cancer after a hospital visit for stomach pain led to the removal of her left kidney.
She has since had multiple recurrences in her lungs and brain, requiring surgery, chemotherapy, radiation and stem cell transplants.
Her mother, Sherree Nelson, said her daughter’s early goal was simply making it to middle school graduation.
“You want your children to achieve all their dreams and goals, but when this constant reminder keeps getting thrown in, it’s hard,” she said.
Despite ongoing treatment, Nelson went on to reach a milestone she once feared she would never see graduating from Tyler High School in Tyler, Texas.
“I think maybe in awe at the fact that I went through so many things. Yet here I am on stage, graduating,” she said.
Even as she prepares for graduation, Nelson continues to face treatment. In April 2026, she was diagnosed again with a brain tumor and is currently waiting to determine next steps.
“I’m trying to be optimistic and positive, but sometimes it’s hard,” she said. “I’m trying my best to remain positive, and whatever the doctors tell me they think is best, that’s what I’m going to do.”
Nelson said her strength comes from faith, purpose and family support, along with a determination to keep moving forward despite repeated setbacks.
“I knew that there was something bigger ahead of me,” she said. “It’s just something in me that drives determination to be something bigger, because I’m here for a reason.”
She plans to attend UT Tyler to pursue a career in pediatric oncology nursing, a path shaped by her own experience as a patient.