The Lakota East gym is filled with the faces of students and community members. All of them are there to support family and friends who are survivors of cancer, or that have been lost to cancer. Their eyes are fixed on Robert Viox, as he stands on the floor before them, speaking about his survivorship journey.
In September 2008, when he was just five years old, Viox was diagnosed with Langerhans Cell Histiocytosis (LCH), a rare, cancer-like condition. It occurs when a person’s body makes an excess of immature Langerhans cells, according to Cincinnati Children’s Hospital.
Viox said that because he was so young at the time of his diagnosis, he did not know what to feel. He remembers being “overcome” with fear, especially because he already had a dislike for hospitals. Though he knew his parents were upset, at the time, he was unable to understand why.
“I felt sick to my stomach, scared, angry. All I thought was that I had to be strong for him and try not to show him how scared I was,” Robert’s mom, Jennifer Viox told Spark. “I just tried to be calm and positive for him, although deep inside I wanted to scream and cry.”
Jennifer said that as Robert started Kindergarten, he expressed true resilience.
“He would go to his weekly chemo session and, no matter how tired he was, he still wanted to go to school the next day,” said Jennifer. Currently a senior at the University of Dayton, Jennifer said that she feels “proud just knowing how far he [Robert] has come.
“He went from missing so much school in elementary school to working so hard that he graduated with a 4.7,” said Jennifer. “He got an amazing scholarship to University of Dayton and will graduate this year with a degree in Chemistry and a minor in Spanish.”
Robert hopes to continue in the Chemistry/Biochemistry Research Field. Though he is in college, Robert stays connected to East through his involvement in Relay for Life.
He became involved with Relay for Life his freshman year of high school. He continued his participation until he was a Survivorship Committee Chair his senior year.
“My friends told me about Relay for Life and how cool it would be if I was a survivor for the team. It was so cool to give back and support an organization that gives people like me so much,” Robert told Spark.
The Luminaria Ceremony is a staple part of Relay for Life. The ceremony includes honoring loved ones who have been lost to cancer with candles or luminaria bags. The ceremony also often includes speeches from survivors and a moment of silence.
“Seeing the Luminaria Ceremony for the first time brought me to tears. It’s such a beautiful and impactful part of Relay that really holds the essence of why we are all participating,” said Robert.
As the president of the University of Dayton’s Colleges Against Cancer, Robert works with the American Cancer Society to throw the university’s Relay for Life every April. He also revisited East’s relay for life in 2022 and 2023, giving a survivor speech and aiding his brother, Mason Viox’s participation in the event.
Inspired by his brother, Mason became involved with Relay for Life during his senior year of high school. He continues his involvement throughout his senior year.
“In previous years I have been the leader of a group, and part of the entertainment committee. The entertainment committee basically just plans all of the events and the schedule of the events throughout the night of relay,” Mason told Spark. “I hope to be the chair of the fundraising committee this year.”
Mason described Robert as being intelligent, friendly, and outgoing.
“Robert inspires me because at such a young age he was faced with the struggle of cancer, he had to miss so much school and it really changed his life but he fully recovered and excelled ever since,” said Mason. “Ever since I was little I have admired his intelligence and I just think it is crazy how he bounced back after all he went through.”
Robert said that even though this will be his last year of participating in Relay for Life as a student, he plans on staying involved in other ways after graduating.
“Relay for Life is such a fun event, and it’s so important that students, faculty, friends, and families stay involved! It’s because of organizations like Relay for Life that people with cancer can remain hopeful, especially knowing that they continue to have everyone in their corner,” said Robert.
