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Cancer survivor Cody Tatum is pushing to help other afflicted children
0506cancer
As a high school sophomore at Johnson High, Cody Tatum was diagnosed with throat cancer. Now, six years after treatment, Tatum wants to start a support group for other young cancer patients. Although his family was there for him, he credits his best friend with helping him stay strong and optimistic during his own treatment.
When he was 15, Cody Tatum was too young to legally drink or buy cigarettes, but the cells growing in his larynx weren’t focused on his age. Those cells multiplying in his throat made his voice whispery even when he wasn’t trying to be discreet, and turned into a nagging cough that ultimately lead to a diagnosis of throat cancer. "It was a total shock," said Tatum, now 21.