EL PASO, Texas (KFOX14/CBS4) — Malena Mendoza, a 26-year-old nursing graduate from El Paso Community College (EPCC), is set to walk the stage at the Associate Degree of Nursing Pinning Ceremony, not only as a graduate but as a cancer survivor.
Mendoza’s journey began in April 2025 when she noticed unusual swelling in her leg, leading to a diagnosis of Mesenchymal Chondrosarcoma, a rare and aggressive cancer.
Despite the initial recommendation for leg amputation, Mendoza chose chemotherapy, balancing grueling treatments with her full-time nursing studies…