Everyone has memories from childhood they will never forget. Countless hours were spent building tree forts, coloring, and playing on the playground.

However, for sophomore Cole Shafer, his childhood was filled with something different.

On July 29, 2005, Shafer was diagnosed, at age 10, with a rare form of cancer known as Burkitt’s Lymphoma, which is one of the most aggressive forms of all human cancers; there are only about 300 new cases each year according to www.burkitts.org.

"I really wasn’t that worried," Shafer said, "I really just thought of it as a challenge. I just had to beat it."

Shafer went through a grueling process of chemotherapy, surgeries and numerous PET and CT scans to detect the football-sized tumor covering his stomach, liver, and gall bladder.

"It wasn’t all bad," Shafer said. "It’s tough to explain it; it’s easier to just live it."

Through the surgeries, long hospital stays, and intense chemotherapy, Shafer’s family was there to help support him and his battle every step of the way.

"He was always strong and seemed to always know he was going to beat cancer." said Shannon Shafer, Cole’s mom. "They called Cole their ‘poster child.’ Everything went the way (the doctors) wanted it to."

Life changed in an instant for the Shafer family, as their son battled with stage four Burkitt’s Lymphoma.

"Cole’s diagnosis changed our family in many ways." Ms. Shafer said. "We grew stronger together. We learned to live every day like it is our last. I stopped worrying about my dust bunnies and started enjoying every day to its fullest."

After months of fighting for his life, Cole was declared cancer free. Cole won his battle and proved that strength and determination can overcome any obstacle.

While many of Cole’s childhood days weren’t filled with games of hide and go seek and coloring, he teaches everyone an important life lesson about strength, perserverance and living life to its fullest.

"It makes me realize how important life is each day," Shafer said. "I don’t take anything for granted."