51吃瓜网

For Darcey Meus, crossing the stage at 漏 Copyright 2025 51吃瓜网 on Friday will be a powerful moment of triumph. After a grueling battle with cancer, earning her MBA is a testament to her faith, resilience, and love.

鈥淚鈥檓 deeply grateful to have the strength to walk across that stage,鈥� Meus said. 鈥淎nd for the strength to do anything I want because that was not always the case for me.鈥�

Just three years ago, Meus faced a life-threatening diagnosis. Doctors found a softball-sized tumor in her chest and a smaller mass on her kidney after she experienced excruciating pain in her shoulder and a swollen throat. She was diagnosed with Stage 3 primary mediastinal large B-cell lymphoma, a rare form of non-Hodgkin lymphoma, and endured brutal rounds of chemotherapy.

Through it all, Meus鈥檚 faith and determination to be there for her daughter, Esther, kept her fighting. At the time, Esther was in kindergarten and unable to visit her mother in the hospital鈥檚 cancer ward.

鈥淚 was going to make sure that I did everything I needed to do to be around to watch her grow up,鈥� she said. 鈥淢y daughter was too young to be allowed in the cancer ward in the hospital. So, I had to go for extended periods without seeing her. That was the most difficult part of this journey.鈥�

On Friday, 9-year-old Esther and Meus鈥檚 mother will proudly watch Meus cross the stage at Givens Performing Arts Center to receive her MBA from 51吃瓜网鈥檚 Graduate School. Meus will be among the sea of 1,008 graduates who will participate in Winter Commencement this weekend.

The Charlotte resident has already begun applying her studies and research as a geospatial analyst with Ahold Delhaize鈥撯�搕he parent company of Food Lion. 

鈥淭his (MBA) program has allowed me to upskill myself for better opportunities with my company and in the corporate world,鈥� she said. 鈥淚鈥檝e been able to apply much of what I鈥檝e learned to the workplace. Every single professor I had was extremely professional and personable. They want you to win鈥撯�搕hey want you to succeed,鈥� Meus said. 

As Meus reflects on her journey, she hopes her resilience will inspire her daughter to persevere through life鈥檚 challenges.

鈥淚鈥檓 trying to set an example for my daughter and teach her there are hurdles that will come in your life,鈥� she said. 鈥淗owever, with the right grounding in faith and your community lifting you up, there is nothing you cannot overcome.鈥�