For many young people, social media is a place to share everyday moments. For 19-year-old Elijah Dawkins of San Ramon, it has become a journal of resilience after he was diagnosed with Stage 4 cancer. Dawkins was diagnosed with Stage 4 Hodgkin lymphoma on his 19th birthday after finding an enlarg ed lymph node under his arm – explaining years of pain he thought came from high school sports. “It was heartbreaking, it really was,” he said. “I just thank God because they told me, first of all, it’s curable. It did spread literally kind of throughout my whole right side of my body, but honestly, any 19-year-old would be very crushed.” His first video reached more than 1 million views. Now, every post documents the highs and lows of treatment. “I really feel like talking about your things and not holding it in, it relieves stress,” he said. “And even just talking about God, I talk to God all the time about it.” Dawkins credits his mom for teaching him to never give up. Now on day 109 of his six-month treatment plan, he’s using every post as a way to process while inspiring others. With more than 75,000 followers on Instagram alone, he’s created a community that helps him know he is not fighting alone. “That is one of the biggest things that’s helping me get through this process to be honest,” he said. “Seeing the support, that literally helps me go every single day and just share my journey.” Dawkins is still going to college and working, saying cancer has taught him not to waste time chasing his goals. He hopes others learn that lesson, too. “There’s a lot of people who go through the same things, and it’s really important to not fall a victim of things and just keep pushing because life happens, things happen,” he said. Next week, Dawkins will learn if his treatment is working. He’s staying focused on his future dreams of owning his own business and growing his platform. “People are going to watch me grow, beat this and be very successful later on in life,” he said. “This is really just the beginning, and this is the battle that I’m fighting every single day. After this, it’s going to be a lot easier.” ...read more read less