Massachusetts Community Rallies Around Teen Fighting Rare and Aggressive Cancer

Roger Lopez is your average, fun-loving kid from New Bedford. He's a smart, funny, full of life boy who absolutely loves sports, basketball in particular. The first 15 years of his life were full of joy and fun times, until a rare diagnosis changed everything.

"He came back from church camp in August last year and he was limping. So I took him to the hospital to figure out what was going on," his mom Beatriz said.

The health experts diagnosed him with Stevens-Johnson syndrome, a rare life-threatening allergic reaction. The family took action, but as symptoms persisted, Beatriz's advocacy grew.

A Mother's Gut Instinct Leads to a Rare Diagnosis

"My mommy gut knew there's something else going on. Something's not right for this to keep going on like this," she said. It had been a month of seeing her son in pain. Her mom instinct was right.

She spoke with many doctors who consulted others and discovered the heart-breaking truth. "They found a tumor and it was aggressive. It's a rare tumor and they needed to do more evaluation," she said.

Understanding Ewing Sarcoma and the Battle Ahead

After a biopsy, it was determined that Roger has Ewing sarcoma, a rare, aggressive cancer that typically affects bones or surrounding soft tissues. "Not once did it cross through my mind that they were going to come back and tell me that my son had cancer," Beatriz said.

Courtesy Beatriz Lopez

Unfortunately, Beatriz is no stranger to loved ones being affected by the disease. Her fiance is currently battling cancer and she lost her mother to breast cancer in 2025. She, like all parents, is stopping at nothing to find her child the best treatment, avoid amputation and hopefully find a cure.

She has remained strong throughout the journey despite watching the light in her son dim at times. "It hurts me so bad because I don't want to see my son feel like there's nothing else for him," Beatriz said. The loss of hair, the inability to play basketball and the chemo treatments have taken their toll.

Courtesy Beatriz Lopez

New Bedford Community rallies for the Lopez Family

Roger received a mix of radiation and chemo from November of 2025 through June 2, 2026. Shortly after, on Sunday, June 14, the community came together for a fundraiser, supporting Roger and his battle against Ewing sarcoma. "I was so appreciative and at the same time, I was so amazed at how many people came through for my son and my family," Beatriz said.

Moving forward, Roger will continue to have scans and follow-ups. He is finishing summer school and looks forward to an upcoming cruise with his family, a gift made possible through Make A Wish Massachusetts.