Sixteen-year-old Meshaun Tubbs from Cincinnati is battling an extremely rare form of cancer for the second time and is now a semifinalist in the Stan Lee Super Kid competition, which could transform him into a comic book superhero.
At 16, Tubbs shares the same interests as many teenagers: video games, Legos, and superheroes. But his life has been far from ordinary over the past four years.
“A few years ago, during a normal checkup at the doctor, (they) found a bump on my back. And after getting some scans, they found out it was cancer,” Tubbs said.
At just 12 years old, Tubbs was diagnosed with an extremely rare form of muscle cancer with three genetic alterations—a combination doctors had never seen before. After undergoing aggressive chemotherapy, he went into remission.
However, his cancer returned last year.
“Like. I knew it was going to suck all over again,” Tubbs said.
Every three weeks, Tubbs spends five days in the hospital, hooked up to machines and enduring the side effects of chemotherapy.
“It is extremely hard. I absolutely despise this life,” said his mother, Keisha Tubbs.
Keisha said the treatment keeps her son heavily medicated and not the Meshaun she’s known.
One night, while scrolling online, Keisha discovered a contest that could bring a smile to her son’s face. The Stan Lee Super Kid competition offers a chance to win a trip to Comic-Con, be transformed into a comic book hero and receive $25,000.
“I told him about it and he was so excited about it. I mean, he’s jumping, screaming. I’ll get to go to Comic-Con. I’ll get to go to Comic-Con,” Keisha said.
Now, Meshaun is one of just 84 semifinalists out of 84,000 original contestants competing in the contest.
“I’m also going to use most of the money to help the cancer kids,” Tubbs said.
Voting for the competition ends on Nov. 12 at 10 p.m. Click hereto vote.
