News

While Lindsey Popelas has always dreamed of teaching children ABCs and 1-2-3s, it has been letters and numbers that have kept this 21-year-old California University of Pennsylvania education major alive.

Writing on chalkboards, checking students' papers and giving out the weekly spelling lists are what this Roscoe native has longed for.

As Hodgkin's lymphoma crept into her life, her long-awaited dream started to vanish.

In November of 2001, right before she began her quest to become a teacher by studying at California University of Pennsylvania, doctors diagnosed the disease. She was devastated. She said questions raced through her mind: Why did this happen? Why did she deserve it? And what was going to happen to her?

Popelas decided that at 18 she was too young to die, and this disease would not stop her in her tracks.

"I was going to survive. I had God, family and friends supporting me in my ring. It was a fight I believed I could win," she said.

In the Bible, in Philippians 4:13, it states, "I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me."

Popelas said she holds this statement deep within her heart. She believes it is God who helped her get through this disease, and not once, but three times.

Her first diagnosis of cancer came during November of 2001, during basketball season. In fact, it was during basketball practice that she found out. Her family was there, as well as teammates and coaches. There wasn't a dry eye on the court, Popleas said.

The other two times came while in her freshman and sophomore years in college, and she had to leave school because of the extensive treatment she was receiving at West Penn Hospital.

Cancer seems to be a challenge that Popelas has faced head on, and now the Praxis test seems to be the next challenge for this aspiring teacher. While going through the radiation, chemotherapy and stem cell transplants, Popelas found there's so much that is asked of education majors and her situation doesn't make it any easier, she said.

"Keeping up my grades to meet the standard grade point average, studying and preparing for exams like the Praxis tests can be quite discouraging," she said.

Losing a semester of college can really set one back, Popelas said.

"Catching up is like running on a treadmill," she said. "You keep running and running to get somewhere, but you never make it any farther than where you started," she said.

Nevertheless, she found some people at the university quite helpful.

"The Office of Students With Disabilities is wonderful in aiding students in situations like mine," she said.

When she had to get treatment, no penalties were given and she did not have to withdraw from the university.

Today, Popelas is feeling better than ever. She claims she is the bubbly, happy-go-lucky girl she always was. She is now in remission after going through a stem-cell transplant last summer, made possible by her sister, Chaley, 23, of Harrisburg, who is director of community service at Messiah College.

Lindsey Popelas is living her life as she planned, not taking it for granted.

She is getting ready for this year's dance team and plans to participate in women's intramural basketball in the spring.

Friend and classmate Meghan Slavic, a 20-year old education major, claims, "Lindsey is an inspiration in life to everyone. When she could have gotten down about her situation, she didn't. She saw light in all of it. She didn't give up. She was optimistic. Lindsey is strong. Lindsey has faith in her God. Lindsey believed. I guess that's all it took."

Katey Doman, 19, of Long Branch, is a sophomore public relations major.

• Most Read
• Most E-mailed
• Latest News