Accomplished Boy Scout's latest mission: Educating teens about cancer

LAKE WALES (FOX 13) - Ron Cain is incredibly accomplished for an 18-year-old. He was named an Eagle Scout and has earned every badge offered by the Boy Scouts -- 137, in all.

But the last year has been his biggest challenge of his life. In October, he was diagnosed with testicular cancer, and had immediately had surgery to remove the problem.

Unfortunately, the cancer had spread to his lymph nodes, and he just had a number of them removed.

“It was very tough,” Ron told FOX 13. “It was like a train hitting, and I was just along for the ride.”

Almost three months after his most recent surgery, he is finally starting to get back on his feet. He says he is tired, sore, and sometimes in pain, but optimistic.

“Five percent left until I am 100 percent,” he said.

Ron is not someone to let an obstacle stand in his way, even one as serious as cancer. After he was diagnosed, he started talking to youth groups.

“They think you can only get cancer in your 90’s, or when you’re 100,” said Ron. 

But actually, it’s a young man’s disease. According to the American Cancer Society the average age of diagnosis is 33 years old.

Since Ron has not undergone any tests since the surgery in February, his parents are not sure yet if he is in remission. They already have their hands full with another issue: The bills are piling up.

“Just my co-pays along could be more than $25,000,” said Ron’s dad, David, who runs the Flaming Arrow Scout Reservation in Lake Wales, where the family lives.

The bill for the most recent surgery hasn’t even arrived yet. 

To help, his friends have set up a GoFundMe: www.gofundme.com/eaglescoutroncain