---
title: "Transforming a Cancer Diagnosis into a Calling: Lapria Junior’s Path to Nursing"
url: "https://arizonacollege.edu/blog/transforming-a-cancer-diagnosis-into-a-calling-lapria-juniors-path-to-nursing/"
type: post
date_published: 2026-04-06
date_modified: 2026-04-10
schema:
  @type: Article
language: en-US
word_count: 977
reading_time: 5 min
canonical: "https://arizonacollege.edu/blog/transforming-a-cancer-diagnosis-into-a-calling-lapria-juniors-path-to-nursing/"
featured_image: "https://arizonacollege.edu/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/AZCN-Scholarship-Recipient-Lapria-Junior.webp"
categories:
  - Nursing School
topic:
  - Nursing
---

# Transforming a Cancer Diagnosis into a Calling: Lapria Junior’s Path to Nursing

![AZCN Scholarship Recipient Lapria Junior](https://arizonacollege.edu/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/AZCN-Scholarship-Recipient-Lapria-Junior.webp)

This is a multi-part series celebrating Arizona College of Nursing students,
their stories, and their embodiment of the AZCN values.     

In 2023, Arizona College of Nursing established the AZCN Values Scholarship Fund
 as a way to celebrate our values with our colleagues, our students, and the
communities in which we serve. Each time an AZCN colleague recognizes another
colleague for demonstrating our values, $5 is added to the scholarship fund.
These add up to $5,000 scholarships awarded to students the following year who
have demonstrated our values within their communities.     

Join us in celebrating 2025 AZCN Values Scholarship recipient Lapria Junior as
she shares some of her journey to nursing:  

## Lapria’s Story   

_Meet AZCN Values Scholarship Recipient, Lapria Junior, a Nursing Student at the [AZCN Southfield Campus](https://arizonacollege.edu/southfield-michigan-nursing-school/). A cancer diagnosis in her teens inspired Lapria to [pursue her dream of caring for others](https://arizonacollege.edu/accredited-bsn-program/why-azcn/). She now aims to become a voice and advocate for other Black women, who are disproportionately affected by breast cancer. _

**_Watch Lapria’s video here: _** 

## The Voice of an Advocate 

My decision to become a nurse was shaped by personal experiences that deepened
my understanding of patient care and the profound impact healthcare
professionals can have on people’s lives. At 19, I was diagnosed with cancer, an
experience that transformed my perspective on medicine. Initially, I was on a
pre-med track at Wayne State University, aspiring to become a doctor. However,
undergoing chemotherapy and interacting with different medical professionals
made me realize that I wanted a career with a
[stronger focus on patient-centered care](https://arizonacollege.edu/accredited-bsn-program/)
. 

## Q&A with Lapria 

### Q: Can you explain how your nursing journey got started? 

**A:** I’ve always wanted to be a pediatrician because I had an awesome
pediatrician, and I loved children. Ever since I was a child, I’ve wanted to
work with kids. So up until college, I wanted to be a doctor, and then I got
sick and had to [leave] school. My mom told me I shouldn’t go next semester,
but I went anyway. I ended up having to drop out midway through because I should
have listened to my mother. Then it was between nursing or being a radiology
tech to operate the machines. I know that’s probably weird because I was a
patient, but it was fascinating to me to see them do everything. 

### Q: Do you mind talking about your experience with your health? 

**A:** I had a tumor in my right breast. You could kind of see it from the
outside because it was so close to the skin. Initially, my primary care doctor
thought it might be a cyst because I was so young. I had just turned 19. I was
living on campus at Wayne State, and I had noticed [it]. Everyone treated it
like a cyst. It was not hurting or anything. Then I had a biopsy done.

![Nursing Program Scholarship Recipient Lapria Junior](https://arizonacollege.edu/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/Nursing-Program-Scholarship-Recipient-Lapria-Junior.webp)

My first doctor that did my biopsy, also my lumpectomy afterwards, was a black
doctor. I loved her. She’s perfect. She was the one that told me that I had
cancer. They sent my tumor everywhere because I had triple negative breast
cancer, so they had a hard time diagnosing everything.  

### Q: How did this experience lead you to your own nursing journey? 

**A:** That experience I had…it was right before I had radiation. I did
chemotherapy for 4 months and then I had radiation every day for a month. Also,
one of my other doctors wasn’t the best to me, but every nurse, tech, everyone
else was amazing. I used to wear, like, an angel necklace to radiation every day
 and they didn’t make me take it off. I know you’re not really supposed to wear
jewelry, but she would just slide it behind my left shoulder and let me keep it
with me. 

### Q: How did you end up finding Arizona College of Nursing? What was your first experience on campus? 

**A:** I did feel welcome. I went to Wayne State, but they didn’t let me get my
transcripts. I had to start completely over. I found Arizona College of Nursing
through the Internet. I saw some girls that went there, and I liked what they
had to say about it. [What stood out was] how
[clinicals and simulations](https://arizonacollege.edu/accredited-bsn-program/skills-and-science-lab/)
were going and how they could come in and practice whenever they wanted to. 
[Also,] what the instructors were like, and the location was good for me. 

I sort of stay to myself when I’m on campus, but everyone is really kind,
friendly, and helpful, [especially] when we’re studying. I’ve liked all of my
instructors so far and my clinical instructors are good…Arizona College of
Nursing is a very friendly community. It’s just a group of good people and
everyone gets along for the most part. Arizona College is closer knit and
personal, and I feel like I could be more one-on-one [here]. 

![Scholarships for Nursing Program](https://arizonacollege.edu/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/Scholarships-for-Las-Vegas-Nursing-Program.webp?w=800)

### Q: Overall, what was your call to care? 

**A:** Being diagnosed with cancer so young, it kind of made me look at the
statistics of people that look like me that were being diagnosed with cancer.
Did you know that Black women are 38% more likely to die from breast cancer than
White women? We need to fix it and hopefully I can be a part of that. So, being
an advocate and just empowering and educating to being a voice and inspiration
for other people.

**Categories:** Nursing School