Cristina during treatment with her parents, Alejandro and Ana Espinal
At 14 years old, Cristina Espinal was diagnosed with bone cancer, known as osteosarcoma, in her femur. After realizing the severity of her situation, her father and mother, Alejandro Espinal and Ana Espinal, living with the family in Colombia, sought out to find the right doctor for his daughter in America.
The Espinal family found Dr. Tom Temple, Senior Vice President Emeritus for Nova Southeastern University’s Translational Research and Economic Development. For many years, Dr. Temple led the sarcoma research based at the NSU Dr. Kiran C. Patel College of Allopathic Medicine (NSU MD). He immediately met with the family and ensured that he would do everything in his power to treat Cristina.
“I remember I was prepping to go to an ivy league school and my life was planned out. I was very in control of things and my diagnosis completely changed everything,” Cristina said. “My life was turned upside down in a span of five days.”
Cristina with her fiancé and golden retriever
Cristina remembers feeling a bump on her leg and going to a doctor in Colombia. Two days later, she was in Dr. Temple’s office to perform a biopsy.
“I was diagnosed with osteosarcoma that day. As soon as he said to me ‘We’re going to be really good friends for the next nine months,’ immediately I knew that meant I had cancer,” she said.
Soon after her diagnosis, her entire family moved from Colombia to Miami, FL for Cristina’s treatment with Dr. Temple. During her cancer journey, Cristina would regularly journal to jot down her life as she received her nine-month treatment from the NSU Cell Therapy Institute.
In her journal at 15-years-old, she wrote down a moment that stuck out to her forever:
“I didn’t share this until I got home but, in that doctor’s examining office, I was scared. I asked the doctor what was going to happen but the question that I really wanted to ask but was too afraid of what the answer would be is, ‘Am I going to die?’ It took all the strength I had left that day to put aside my fear and ask. Dr. Temple raised his right hand and said, ‘Over my dead body.’ And that, ‘Over my dead body,’ reassured me throughout my entire treatment.”
Ever since that conversation with Dr. Temple, Cristina knew that she was going to be okay. During her treatment, Cristina endured multiple rounds of chemotherapy. In addition, Dr. Temple had to remove her femur and reconstruct her leg with a prosthetic from NSU.
But it was worth it; it worked.
After surgery and chemotherapy, Cristina’s cancer went into remission. And, 10 years later, Cristina remains cancer free and focuses on living every moment to the best of her ability.
“NSU and Dr. Temple have been such great support, and it was so calming to have them,” Cristina said, “I’m so grateful to have had him as a doctor. He was always very kind, patient and loving. The way that he treats his patients – you don’t feel like a number, you feel like a patient because he cares and wants you to be okay.”
Since remission, Cristina has made it a priority to live a fulfilling and joyous life. Like any young adult, she is figuring out how to define her own meaning of “success”. Although she graduated in 2020 from the University of Miami in Finance and worked as an investment analyst; she thinks success looks like spending quality time with her loved ones – including her fiancée, Golden retriever, and parents – while making the most of her creativity by pursuing her passions in art, design, and photography; and laughing through life as best as she can.
As a cancer survivor, Cristina emphasized the way that people can make a difference is by using their platform to spread awareness and educate their audience about osteosarcoma and the mental health of cancer survivors.
“Even the smallest fundraisers can make a difference in so many lives.”
As part of NSU’s “ALL IN” fundraising campaign on April 7–8, 2022, supporters can help change the lives of patients like Cristina by contributing to cancer research at NSU.
Shannon Wayte, an executive director of advancement at NSU, holds the Espinal family – and their journey through fear, treatment, and recovery – close to her heart. She remembers her initial meeting with Alejandro (Cristina’s father), a 30-minute introduction that turned into two hours of sharing stories, laughs, and lots of tears.
“My life was forever changed after that first visit with Alejandro,” Wayte said. “I wanted to join them in their fight. I wanted to be a part of their journey.”
Like Alejandro, who shares his gratitude to NSU by giving back, Wayte continues to pay it forward. She is kicking off a crowdfunding campaign with a $2,500 donation to cancer research at NSU. She urges others to contribute to reach the campaign’s goal of $10,000 during ALL IN.
“There isn’t one of us whose life hasn’t been touched by cancer. NSU’s researchers are committed to advancing research and discovery to treat the most aggressive forms of childhood cancer, including osteosarcoma,” she said.
Wayte believes in the skills and expertise of the researchers at NSU MD and stresses the importance of having necessary funding to continue their transformational work.
“I watch NSU’s researchers arrive to the NSU Center for Collaborative Research every day, put on their lab coats, and get to work. I am fortunate to know them as individuals, as well as scientists, and I am confident of this: their ability to move the needle in the fight against cancer is matched only by their desire to make a difference.”
Click here to make a gift toward this initiative.
For more information about ALL IN, go to nova.edu/allin
For more information about cancer research efforts at NSU MD, visit https://md.nova.edu/research/research-areas.html
Posted 03/30/22
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