Cancer survivor stunned by attention over graduation denial

phoenix» Overwhelming public support is outweighing any lingering bitterness for a suburban Phoenix high school student who kept up with classes through cancer treatments but wasn’t allowed to walk at graduation.

“Having people tell me that I’m being a voice for them is so much more powerful than these people denying me my request,” Stephen Dwyer said.

The 18-year-old on Sunday, just a few days after having to watch his Mesa high school’s graduation ceremony from afar, said he never imagined his Facebook post about it would draw national and international attention.

Dwyer withdrew during his junior year to receive a life-saving bone marrow transplant for leukemia. He took online courses until he was able to return in fall 2015. He took on an extra early-morning class, rejoined the swimming team and was elected student body president. He is 2½ credits short of graduating and will finish in December. He argued that students who are on track to graduate shouldn’t be excluded from graduation.

Mesa Public Schools spokeswoman Helen Hollands lauded Dwyer for being courageous but cited district policy. The district told Dwyer he could sit on the stage — but not in a cap and gown — and give a speech. He turned that down, saying that would have made him feel more isolated from the other seniors.

Although graduation is over, he and his parents hope to get the district to change its policy.