ATLANTA — When Andrew Rogers was just three years old, he was diagnosed with a rare form of childhood cancer and given just days to live. Fast forward to now, and on Friday, he will be graduating from Georgia Tech with a master's degree in medical physics and preparing for a big move.
Diagnosed with hepatoblastoma, a rare liver cancer, Andrew had endured 50 surgeries by his 13th birthday, including two liver transplants.
The aggressive cancer had spread to his lungs and brain, and he underwent radiation therapy in in order to treat it. It was through his treatment that he was inspired by the radiation therapists who helped him.
"They may not have thought much of it at the time, but in those moments, by playing with me, making me laugh, making me a Spiderman radiation mask, they helped me forget — even for a second — that I had cancer and helped me enjoy life. I think about that every day. I hope to one day change a child's life like my therapists did for me,” he told Georgia Tech.
He spent many years of his childhood traveling to several cities for treatment, including Atlanta. Rogers said his family would always stop at the Varsity. From the restaurant, Rogers said he'd see the Tech Tower.
It was there that he realized he dreamed of attending Georgia Tech and helping kids who faced similar struggles as him—and he made both of those dreams a reality.
Andrew received his bachelor's degree in radiation therapy at Augusta University and enrolled in Georgia Tech's medical physics program in 2021, obtaining hands-on experience that fueled his passion even more.
"From booting up machines and checking on patients to everything else, I just started wanting to come in every day. I'd go in for free just because I love what I'm doing," he said.
Although he was given a '"one-in-a-million" chance to live, he beat the odds and has been cancer-free for 18 years now.
After graduation, Andrew will begin looking for a place to live in Texas, where he will begin his residency in the coming months.
