Noah’s Story
FIGHT LIKE NOAH!
You never know how strong you are until STRONG is the only choice you have.
How it began.
In 2020, Noah Adams was a normal 17 year old about to embark on his senior year of high school. In the middle of the pandemic, Noah decided to teach himself how to skateboard. Noah would leave at the same time every evening to make sure to catch the sunset. He LOVES sunsets. In May, he injured himself while skateboarding and came home to tell his mom. Noah’s mom waved it off as a trivial lesson that boys often learn when trying new things. In June 2020, Noah fell down again and this time insisted his mom take him to the doctor. After seeing their general practitioner, Noah was referred to a Sports Medicine physician. The Sports Medicine physician wanted to be thorough so she ordered a MRI.
The Diagnosis.
On July 2, 2020 Noah returned to the clinic for the results of the MRI. This is the day our whole world changed. Noah was diagnosed with cancer. The doctor was already prepared and had scheduled an appointment with an Orthopedic Surgeon and Pediatric Oncologist. After a biopsy, it was determined on July 9, 2020 the type of cancer Noah had was Ewing’s Sarcoma (a rare bone cancer). Once discovered, the tumor began to makes its presence known. In just a week or so after diagnosis, Noah would need a cane and wheelchair to get around. The pain was just too great.
The Fight.
After meeting with the very large team of health professionals who would assist Noah in fighting the cancer, a plan was put in place. On Friday, July 24, 2020, Noah began a very aggressive 10 month chemotherapy course. He would undergo chemotherapy treatments for 6 and 2 days alternating every two weeks for 3 months and then have surgery to remove his tumor. On October 21, 2020 Noah underwent Rotationplasty surgery to remove the cancerous tumor. This made Noah an amputee at the age of 17 years old. He had a small set back, requiring another surgery on November 6, 2020 and then restarted the aggressive chemotherapy regiment in mid-November. Noah continued to receive chemotherapy every 2 weeks for another 5 months. He would finish just in time for graduation with a clean bill of health on April 30, 2021.
Finding Light during Darkness.
From the day Noah was diagnosed, he received outpouring love from his high school, Central Catholic High School and its community in San Antonio, Texas . The Sunday before his biopsy a support parade was organized and the #NoahStrong movement was born.
Early on in Noah’s diagnosis, he chose to fight this battle with positivity. He just kept moving forward with grace, dignity, and a smile on his face. Noah decided to never let Cancer define who he was or dictate the way he would live his life.
With Noah’s audience, the #NoahStrong Facebook page was created, and in a very short time had hundreds of followers. But Noah did not want the focus on himself. He wanted to focus on the other kids in the hospital, whom he had seen during his stays. It sometimes seemed as they were so alone and disconnected from the daily activities other children their age would be participating in. Noah wanted to bridge that connection and give some normalcy back to these warriors.
And just days before his life changing surgery, Noah began a Halloween costume drive for the patients of University Hospital, San Antonio, Texas…which serves much of local and South Texas. Without even knowing at the time, this would be the inception of today’s Stay Strong Foundation,Inc.
With a goal of 100 Halloween costumes for the hospital through Noah’s outreach to family, friends, classmates and local citizens of San Antonio through word of mouth, and supportive online communities Noah was able to donate over 300 costumes. Noah was so moved by so many joining him in helping with the Halloween project and hearing the wonderful stories of how the 100s of pediatric patients were impacted from the pediatric nurses, doctors and Child-Life staff Noah knew there was no question but to make the Christmas holidays even more joyful and wonderful for the children who would be inpatient during that time. So he created the NoahStrong Toy Drive 2020. Even though Noah was dealing with his own chemotherapy, and a new amputation at this time, Noah was passionate about children in the same fight for their lives. The local news stations began to reach out to Noah to support his drives. Noah continued working with his growing online community and was able to donate over 1200 gifts to the pediatric patients at University Hospital, San Antonio. Noah wanted each child to have more than one gift each, to make it feel more like Christmas, through the outpouring support of the community, he was able to do that. It was uplifting as well, to the medical professionals tending to the care of these children during their challenging times, including the children’s families, their friends, classmates and even Noah. In less than a year, Noah started a support movement for pediatric patients in which he is continuing through today’s Stay Strong Foundation.
The 1st Battle WON.
The MISSION Continues.
On April 30, 2021, Noah received his last dose of chemo. A couple of weeks later, Noah was given the news that he was NED (No Evidence of Disease) and he rang the bell signifying the end of his chemotherapy treatment.
Once Noah declared his independence from cancer, it was important for him to continue what the #NoahStrong community had started. Now a graduate from high school, and having been accepted to his #1 college choice, the University of Pittsburgh he would begin in the fall.
At the start of his college career, Noah created the Stay Strong Foundation, Inc.
Noah, through the Stay Strong Foundation, Inc, has made the “Stay Strong Halloween” and “Stay Strong Merry Christmas” events the annual cornerstone projects of his foundation.
Noah has new goals for the Stay Strong Foundation, Inc that he is diligently working towards bringing to fruition. Some of the ideas in the making are:
Scholarships
Birthday gifts for nominated pediatric patients
and more!
For now, Noah wishes to continue to provide costumes and toys for the pediatric patients at University Hospital in San Antonio, Texas but has goals to expand the services even further and touching the lives of those pediatric patients in his adopted college city of in Pittsburgh, PA and beyond.
Update as of May 2024: Since the original publishing of this article, Stay Strong Foundation, Inc has expanded its outreach to providing port access shirts, coined I.C.O.N. Shirts, Thanksgiving meals, Adopt-a-Family program at Christmas, and a Blanket drive for the pediatric patients and their families. We’re always looking for volunteers to help, please send us a message if you or your organization is interested in volunteering. Service hours are always provided.