16-Year-Old Cancer Patient Receives Regents Diploma From Hospital Bed
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A Bronx teenager received her Regents diploma from her hospital bed Thursday.
Laura Rodriguez, 16, is battling cancer at New York Presbyterian.
She has been too weak to attend school and got all her lessons in her hospital room through the Department of Education's Hospital Schools Program.
Even while receiving chemotherapy, the recent immigrant from the Dominican Republic never lost sight of her goal.
"Her focus was always on her determination to finish her schoolwork, which she did, her Regents and her coursework, ahead of time,” said Mary Maher, principal of the DOE Hospital Schools Program.
“While she was taking her Regents exam, she was receiving chemo therapy at that very time,” said Dr. Manny Esquilin, an oncologist at New York Presbyterian. “But she was so determined that she didn't ask for an extension. She just wanted to do it and get it done because she had that drive."
The DOE offers schooling in hospitals throughout the five boroughs.