Four years ago, no one knew if Max Jones would still be alive today. “There are definitely days when things don’t look good. There are definitely days when you don’t wanna get up out of your bed. You don’t wanna open your eyes,” Jones said.Those days came after Jones was diagnosed with leukemia at just 19 years old.”Being a 19-year-old on a pediatric floor, it’s definitely an experience. All the nurses loved me because they weren’t dealing with a 5-year-old that didn’t want to take his medicine,” Jones said.AdventHealth pediatric oncology nurse Delaney Postma said there were a few more reasons to like Jones.”He always wanted to know what was the next thing I was gonna do? How was I prioritizing my night? He even asked me how I was doing? He was just very charismatic,” Postma said.He was also very curious.”When you know anyone that wants to be a nurse, you want to inspire them to pursue that,” Postma said.It wasn’t clear if Jones’ life would go on, but he already knew how he would spend it if it did.”I applied for the nursing school while I was in my hospital bed,” Jones said.After a bone marrow transplant, recovery and a few years, Jones was back in his own bed.”I got a call from UCF, they said ‘Hey, Max has gotten into the UCF College of Nursing,'” Postma said.In an emotional moment, Postma surprised her former patient when he sat down to tell UCF his story of fighting cancer to fighting for others.Jones said he knew that pediatric oncology was his specialty for him.”If the kid is getting certain chemotherapy, I can say, ‘Hey, I had that chemotherapy. This is what I felt when I had that. But look at me today, I’m here. We can get through it,'” Jones said. He said he still thinks of all the kids on that floor four years ago.”There were some that didn’t make it and that definitely stays with me today,” Jones said.He is set to graduate from UCF’s nursing program next year.”You’re proud to see what he’s been through. Most of us will never go through in our entire lifetime and to know where he started and where he’s come,” Postma said.Postma found a new role in training nurses throughout AdventHealth.
Four years ago, no one knew if Max Jones would still be alive today.
“There are definitely days when things don’t look good. There are definitely days when you don’t wanna get up out of your bed. You don’t wanna open your eyes,” Jones said.
Those days came after Jones was diagnosed with leukemia at just 19 years old.
“Being a 19-year-old on a pediatric floor, it’s definitely an experience. All the nurses loved me because they weren’t dealing with a 5-year-old that didn’t want to take his medicine,” Jones said.
AdventHealth pediatric oncology nurse Delaney Postma said there were a few more reasons to like Jones.
“He always wanted to know what was the next thing I was gonna do? How was I prioritizing my night? He even asked me how I was doing? He was just very charismatic,” Postma said.
He was also very curious.
“When you know anyone that wants to be a nurse, you want to inspire them to pursue that,” Postma said.
It wasn’t clear if Jones’ life would go on, but he already knew how he would spend it if it did.
“I applied for the nursing school while I was in my hospital bed,” Jones said.
After a bone marrow transplant, recovery and a few years, Jones was back in his own bed.
“I got a call from UCF, they said ‘Hey, Max has gotten into the UCF College of Nursing,'” Postma said.
In an emotional moment, Postma surprised her former patient when he sat down to tell UCF his story of fighting cancer to fighting for others.
Jones said he knew that pediatric oncology was his specialty for him.
“If the kid is getting certain chemotherapy, I can say, ‘Hey, I had that chemotherapy. This is what I felt when I had that. But look at me today, I’m here. We can get through it,'” Jones said.
He said he still thinks of all the kids on that floor four years ago.
“There were some that didn’t make it and that definitely stays with me today,” Jones said.
He is set to graduate from UCF’s nursing program next year.
“You’re proud to see what he’s been through. Most of us will never go through in our entire lifetime and to know where he started and where he’s come,” Postma said.
Postma found a new role in training nurses throughout AdventHealth.
