Cynthia Cervantes had the options of going on a cruise to Maui, taking a trip to Australia or being an extra in a movie with Sandra Bullock, among other things. But when asked what her ultimate wish was, the answer was easy: She wanted to be a UT cheerleader for a day.
Cervantes, a 16--year--old who has acute lymphocytic leukemia, had that wish come true last Saturday with the help of the Make--A--Wish Foundation. She has been living the life of a Longhorn cheerleader since then, cheering on the sidelines of the last three UT basketball games.
"There were lots of things I had to choose from, and they said pick something you'd really like to do or have always wanted to do," Cervantes said. "Cheerleading is something I love to do, and I'm a big Longhorn fan. So I told them I wanted to cheer for the UT Longhorns and would be happy to do any sport, as long as I would be able to join the cheerleaders."
Cervantes made the trip to Austin last Friday from her home in San Antonio to begin practicing with the Texas cheerleading squad. She spent time touring the city when she was not busy with her new friends. Cervantes was on the sidelines for the men's game against Nebraska on Saturday, the women's game against Missouri on Tuesday and the men's game against Texas A&M on Wednesday.
"It's been very fun," Cervantes said. "[The cheerleaders] are very nice. They taught me everything I needed to know for the basketball games. I'm having a great time."
Cervantes said she was nervous going into the first game, but after all the games, she feels comfortable.
"I've never been in front of big crowds, and when I saw all those people, I was kind of nervous," she said. "I get butterflies in my stomach all the time, but when I get comfortable, it's just doing what I love to do."
Knowing that cheerleading is what Cervantes loves to do, the Make--A--Wish Foundation helped grant her wish, just like it does for thousands of children every year. The foundation is a nonprofit volunteer organization that helps fulfill wishes for children ages 2 to 18 who have life--threatening illnesses.
Dustin Wenzel, an intern at the Make--A--Wish Foundation and a public relations senior, helped organize Cervantes' trip and said he thought the wish was intriguing.
"I thought it was odd, but extremely interesting and fascinating," Wenzel said. "Why go to another country or something when she said she's always liked UT and cheerleading, and we could put those two together? We didn't find the wish to be difficult at all."
The choice for Cervantes' wish was obvious. She was a cheerleader at her high school in South Padre Island before her family recently moved to San Antonio. Cervantes has also been a UT fan for a long time. In fact, she calls her bedroom her "Texas room" because it is filled with Longhorn memorabilia.
Cervantes' wish was only a small way to help her handle the everyday struggles of leukemia.
"It's kind of hard to deal with leukemia," Cervantes said. "I don't consider myself a different person, because I'm not. It's just something a person has to go through. There are days that are downward where you start crying and thinking about bad things, but I try not to. It's all in God's hands."
While in Austin, Cervantes' experience has been in the hands of the UT cheerleading squad. The team was very flattered to hear that of all the things Cervantes could choose, she chose to be with them.
"I'm so honored by the fact that it's her wish," said Sharon Morgan, the team's co--captain. "It makes me realize how neat what we do is and how it touches people's lives."
Not only have the cheerleaders made an impression on Cervantes' life, but she has also made a huge impact on theirs.
"She's taught us humility ... she's so humble," said Morgan, a corporate communications and sports management senior. "She doesn't act like she's gone through everything. She doesn't even harp on the fact that she's sick in any way. She's also shown us strength."
That same strength has been important for Cervantes in fighting her disease. Acute lymphocytic leukemia, or ALL, is a rapidly progressing form of leukemia in which immature cells accumulate in bone marrow and blood. It is the most common form of leukemia among children under 15 years old. ALL can go into remission, and if the disease stays in remission for five years, a patient is usually cured.
"I've been very strong from the beginning," Cervantes said. "It kind of hurt because I was on the cheerleading squad, and I had to stop it for a while. It was really hard."
With a little help from the Longhorns, Cervantes is now back on track for not only her cheerleading career, but also for life.
"They've made me look at myself like I can do something no matter if I have cancer or if I'm normal," Cervantes said. "I can do something and not just think I can't do anything because of my illness. You can do whatever you want if you put your mind to it."
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