June 16, 2007

Despite cancer, student thrives on life

By: JENNIFER KABBANY - Staff Writer

MURRIETA ---- Her hair often falls out, she needs hip-replacement surgery, her skin is shedding, and her body constantly hurts, but that didn't stop 17-year-old Laura James from graduating high school.

Cancer ain't got nothing on this Murrieta teen ---- she's determined to live life to the fullest.

Diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia at age 12, Laura has battled the disease ever since. Her parents say they are amazed that through the endless hospital stays, chemotherapy, radiation treatments, blood transfusions and painful complications such as shingles, she has never asked, "Why me?"

Laura said there's no point.

"You can't let something hold you back," she said. "You have to go for your dreams."

And so she is.

For several years, Laura said, she fought with her former school district, demanding the education she deserved ---- and the one it was required by law to provide.

But pleas for officials to send educators to her home as she dealt with chemotherapy and radiation treatments, which is legally required, were largely futile, she said.

Even pleading with the school board and high-level administrators was to no avail, she said.

There were times when the district came through in the form of a few giving and caring teachers, but those instances were more about the kind nature of the educators than the district fulfilling its side of the bargain, she said.

"I don't think they would have done anything if I hadn't come to them and said 'I need an education,'" she said. "They don't have a home hospital program set up for middle and high school."

Laura, an A and B student throughout her battle with leukemia, wanted to finish high school like "a normal kid." Upset that some of her former teachers lowered her grades because she wasn't in class ---- even though she did all the work required ---- she transferred to San Jacinto High.

There, her father, Steve, is an assistant principal. He arranged to have Laura's classes in the same building and transportation for her in between classes.

True to her nature, Laura, a senior, seized the opportunity, becoming the school's Associated Student Body historian and working on the school's yearbook staff as its business manager.

Meanwhile, Laura is also nourishing a home-stamping business, and skillfully decorates everything from cards to school awards to scrapbooks. She said the hobby takes her mind off other things.

"Laura has incredible courage and is able to value each day," said San Jacinto Principal Gwen Smith. She added that she has become a customer of sorts of Laura, who makes "Principal Paw of Approval" awards for the school, which has a tiger as a mascot.

"She tries to get as much as she can out of each day, and sets very high goals for herself in spite of the illness that's wracked her body," Smith said.

For her accomplishments, Laura is one of five students in Southwest County being recognized as Students of Merit by The Californian. The winners were chosen from nearly four dozen nominations, and their selection was based on academic success, extracurricular activities, leadership, community service and general strength of character.

Laura finished her first and only year at San Jacinto High on Thursday, and was ecstatic about the prospect of walking across the stage ---- albeit with a cane --- to receive her diploma with the rest of her classmates, she said.

Yet even though she's excited to share that experience, she knows she sees life through a different prism than many of her peers.

"They complain about homework and stuff, and I'm like, 'Do you even know how hard I worked to get homework?'" Laura said.

Now, Laura plans to leave home to attend Cal State Fullerton. She wants to major in pre-law, and ultimately become a lawyer. The move has her mother, Ruthie, scared.

"It terrifies me," Ruthie James said. "But she's earned it. She's earned the right to be there."

Although Laura needs hip-replacement surgery, still undergoes treatments similar to dialysis and is in a lot of pain, she said she is ready for college life. She also must still visit her doctor to ensure her disease is under control.

Her battle with cancer began in 2001, a year in which the family spent Christmas at the hospital to be by her side.

Even then, Laura showed a selflessness beyond her years. After observing many other families at the hospital go through a presentless holiday because treating cancer can be very expensive, Laura organized toy drives in her neighborhood the following three years, making sure the siblings of cancer victims also got gifts.

But Laura doesn't want praise for the toy drives.

"It got my mind off myself," she said.

Her mother has a different take.

"She's my hero," she said, wiping away tears.

Laura was first diagnosed with the disease in 2001. In 2003, a regular checkup found that the cancer had come back. Over the years, she has dealt with numerous complications from the treatment she received as she battled the disease.

"Not many kids get cancer twice, but she has kept a pretty good spirit through the whole thing," said neighbor Joan Wallace. "I have never seen her down or crying over it."