Aaron Delgado, a mechanical engineering student at Texas Tech University, faced a significant health challenge during his studies when he was diagnosed with Stage 4 Hodgkin’s Lymphoma. The diagnosis came after months of unexplained swelling in his neck that began in September 2023 and persisted despite initial treatment for what was thought to be mononucleosis.
Delgado’s experience at Texas Tech had been marked by involvement in campus life, including joining the Pi Kappa Alpha fraternity and participating in the Student Government Association. He described his early days on campus as feeling like home. “It just made sense. Even before I arrived at Texas Tech, it just felt like home,” Delgado said.
When his symptoms worsened, Delgado sought further medical advice and received his cancer diagnosis in July 2024. His treatment began soon after, requiring him to pause his academic and social activities.
Support from the university community played a crucial role during this period. Assistant Director of Advising and Retention Gracie Quintana connected Delgado with financial resources and shared her own experience as a cancer survivor. “His unwillingness to see himself as a victim inspired me to help find solutions,” Quintana said. “I got to live life before my cancer, but he is just a kid.”
Throughout chemotherapy, Delgado documented his journey online, sharing updates that resonated with thousands on TikTok. In one video reflecting on the challenges of treatment, he stated: “It takes everything, both physically and mentally, out of you,” adding that perseverance is essential even as physical health declines.
Delgado also found encouragement from outside the university community. During the 2024 World Series between the New York Yankees and Los Angeles Dodgers, former colleagues of his father—himself a retired New York City Police Officer—held up placards bearing Aaron’s name during MLB Together’s “Stand Up for Cancer” initiative at Yankee Stadium. The cards were signed by Derek Jeter and David Ortiz. “Those guys are some of my favorite athletes ever, and hearing that they told me to keep fighting helped me stay strong,” Delgado recalled.
After completing twelve rounds of chemotherapy in December 2024, Delgado celebrated by ringing the hospital bell marking the end of treatment. In a TikTok video he shared: “After 12 intensive rounds of chemotherapy, I’m one step closer to remission. God is good… Ring this bell, three times well, it’s toll to clearly say my treatment’s done, this course is run, and I am on my way.”
However, a PET scan in January revealed residual cancer cells had returned. Facing renewed treatments—including stronger chemotherapy followed by a bone marrow transplant—Delgado remained resilient through another hospitalization period in March.
By April 2025 following successful transplantation procedures, doctors declared Delgado free from cancer cells. Recovery brought gradual improvements; fatigue lessened and hair regrew over summer months.
Returning to Lubbock for classes in August marked not only an academic milestone but also personal transformation for Delgado: “You realize how much those small moments matter,” he said. “Everything has a greater significance to me now.”
Now living off-campus while completing his degree and receiving maintenance chemotherapy treatments, Delgado reflects on his journey with perspective: “There are so many people that want to be in school right now,” he said. “I was one of those people. So now I try not to place as much pressure on myself. Because I’m waking up every day to enjoy my life.”
Texas Tech University offers physical and mental health resources for students facing similar challenges both on campus and online.
