The high school years of a student’s life can be tough at times. Trhying to figure out what classes to take and trying to decide on what you want to do with your life once you graduate. But along with all that, Enid’s Simcha Jones also has something else he has to deal with each day.

“I was diagnosed with Cushings Disease,” he explained. “It causes a small tumor on the pituitary gland of the brain. The tumor causes and overproduction of ACTH, which in turn causes an overproduction of the hormone cortisol. It caused me to gain lots of weight. Without proper treatment, it can shorten my lifespan by half. I have had two brain surgeries to remove the tumor from my brain. I am currently in remission.”

This can be a lot for anyone to deal with, but Jones says that he does his best to see the good.
“I try to stay positive about my diagnosis,” Simcha said. “I travel to Maryland to have surgery with the best doctors in the country. Physically, it takes several months to recover and I cannot stand for long periods of time at first.”

Simcha is a junior at Enid High School. Along with school, he also works at Chick-Fil-A. 

While dealing with this can be tough at times, Jones says that he has had some people in his corner, helping him get through it.

“My mother and father are some of my biggest role models,” he said. “Also, stand-up comedians in general, because they are funny, positive, and make people laugh. Enid public schools has been very accommodating to me through both my surgeries. They make asking for help easy and they go out of their way for me. I appreciate everything Mrs. Johnson and the other teachers have done for me. It makes me proud to be a part of Enid Public Schools. Enid is a good community because everyone here tries their best to be nice. It helps me to stay positive because I am surrounded by kind and helpful people.”

***Photo is of Simcha and his mom, Chandra Nazario***