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When 19-year-old Hillary Husband dances, she flashes a bright smile and exudes energy. Unless you knew about her five-year struggle with cancer, you would never guess how much she's had to overcome to stand on stage as an Honorary Rockette at Radio City Music Hall.
At 14, Hillary was diagnosed with B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia. Despite chemotherapy treatments, she continued to travel around the country to perform with her dance team. "I decided that I wasn't going to let it take any more of my life than it had to," she told MSNBC in the above video.
Two years later, the cancer was gone. Hillary went on to graduate from high school with a 4.0 GPA and was named class valedictorian. But by the time she began her freshman year at Louisiana College, she was diagnosed with a second form of cancer, non-Hodgkin lymphoma.
Dance became almost a form of therapy for Hillary. She explained that during her recovery, she thought, "I better get up and stretch or try to walk so I can get back to what I want to do."
Her efforts paid off in a major way. At 5'4", Hillary isn't tall enough to become a Rockette. But thanks to the Garden of Dreams Foundation, her dream came true for a day. During a visit to New York City, she was named an honorary Rockette, learned part of their routine, and had the opportunity to perform at Radio City Music Hall.
"Just a little taste of my Rockette experience. I can't even believe it. #honoraryrockette," Hillary tweeted, along with a photo collage of her experience. Scroll down to view Hillary's photo.
Are you inspired by Hillary's story? Do you have a passion that helps you push past obstacles? Tell us about in the comments below or tweet @HuffPostTeen?
