Life comes full circle for Arizona cancer survivor as he becomes a nurse

PHOENIX - For a three-time leukemia survivor in the Phoenix area, life has, in a sense, come full circle.

Jaziel Olmeda is now a certified nurse himself, after being in and out of the hospital, battling cancer for six years.

"I see my journey with cancer. I saw this I don't know where, but we see cancer as a sign of hope," said Olmeda.

Olmeda said this is more than a career. To him, it's a way of giving back to the community that has served him during his cancer battle. He recently graduated from Phoenix College, and has passed his nursing certification exam.

"I'm here now, and I'm able to give back and pay it forward," said Olmeda. "I don't even have words to express how I feel. I'm happy with me. I'm happy with my journey. I'm happy with the choices I've made to get here."

Story of AZ cancer survivor comes full circle

Jaziel Olmeda battled leukemia for six years, and while he is cancer free now, he is giving back to a community that has served him during his cancer battle by joining the rank of nurses. FOX 10's Lindsey ragas reports.

One of those choices Olmeda mentioned was being a student on the same hospital floor where he became cancer free, with the help from 134 blood donors.

"I was on the floor, and a few of the nurses recognized me and said ‘what are you doing here?" Olmeda recounted. "I said im a student, and they said they were not surprised. ’You always wanted to be a nurse.'"

Olmeda's goal is to become a pediatric oncology nurse at Phoenix Children's Hospital, where he was treated for six years. He said he wants to spread the same message he was given during his leukemia treatment.

"I hope that I continue to meet amazing people, and continue to share my journey and show them to see cancer as a sign of hope," said Olmeda.

As mentioned earlier, Olmeda's cancer battle involved blood donors, and blood supply is needed in the Phoenix area. The Saving Arizona Blood Drive event will take place on July 2, from 7:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., at the Tempe Center for the Arts.