Students overcome adversity, earn degrees

[Harry]

Martha Resendiz has a nine-year-old scar on her head that she said sometimes reminds her of how lucky she is to be alive and living a normal life.

Melissa Finefrock, who is blind, said she doesn’t think of herself as unique at all, but having a disability opened up a lot of opportunities for her at the University of North Texas.

Each overcame long odds to be among college graduates this weekend.

Resendiz joins about 1,500 Texas Woman’s University graduates who will receive degrees this weekend.

Finefrock is among about 4,000 students who will receive undergraduate and graduate degrees from UNT this weekend.

Resendiz said she was active as a middle school student and participated in several sports and other extracurricular activities.

However, one day while in her Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps class, Resendiz fainted and had a seizure.

After doctors performed blood work and ran a few tests, they discovered a dime-sized tumor in her brain.

“When the doctors told my parents what was wrong, they began to look worried and started to cry,” Resendiz said. “But I had no clue what was wrong. I didn’t know what a tumor was or what it meant to have one.”

According to the Texas Department of State Health Services, children diagnosed with a brain tumor have a 71 percent survival rate. And they are also prone to other health problems as a result of medical treatments to remove the tumor.

Read more: http://www.dentonrc.com/local-news/local-news-headlines/20130510-students-overcome-adversity-earn-degrees.ece