A typical teenager is a good way to describe sophomore Christopher Harris. He spends time playing video games, dungeons and dragons and his electric bass guitar and coronet. He’s also involved in the gaming and music production clubs, and in the band. With those typical activities lies a great kid with a resilient spirit. He’s had his fair share of health issues and cancer was an unexpected diagnosis. 

Already under a doctor’s care for an aortic aneurysm, test results revealed this development. “The test results showed that his Aortic Aneurysm had grown to the point that it was dangerous and needed surgery. It also showed that he had a tumor in his Thyroid. It was the worst news,” says his mom Rebecca. He was diagnosed with Papillary Carcinoma, a type of Thyroid Cancer. Most of the right side of his thyroid was tumor and he needed to have his entire thyroid removed. “It did test positive as cancer. A very treatable cancer,” Rebecca adds. The plan was to do radiation therapy after he had his Aortic Aneurysm surgery. Two months after the heart surgery, he went in for radiation where they learned the cancer had spread to his lymph nodes. “The doctor gave him a higher dose of radiation because it had spread,” she explains. But the prognosis is good. “We have one last round of testing and radiation. And with that he will hopefully be cancer free!” Christopher will have to take medication for the rest of his life to supplement the hormones the thyroid would have made, but this type of cancer has a very low recurrence. 

Christopher will be among two honorees at this year’s Purple football game on October 4th. “Events like the Purple game really bring awareness and support to those that are going through a terrible situation that for some include the loss of life.  Each life is worth fighting for. The treatment is just as important as the quality of life.  It has allowed our family to stop and live, appreciating each day as a gift.” 

Rebecca adds that the level of empathy, compassion, and support from Otsego Public Schools, the Otsego community and the support from Motts Children's Hospital at the University of Michigan have been phenomenal. “With all of the health complications Christopher has had over the last year, there is hope!”