#Automotive Racing The driver who beat cancer to race again

In Carburando, we know the story of Ray Demetrio, who fought to get back on track.

#Automotive Racing The driver who beat cancer to race again

Ray Demetrio’s story reflects in every word what passion brings to people. The 32-year-old from Rosario started motorsports like any boy from the interior of the country and the Federated Grouped Categories was the place where he started making his first steps at just 16 years old.

His beginnings in motorsport

“I debuted at the age of 16 in the Midget 1400 category in the Federated Grouped Categories. That same year we finished third in the championship, the following year we went to Class 1 with a Fiat 600 with 1100 engines. I ran there for several consecutive years, where we achieved successes and very good positions in all races.”, He told Carburando.

His beginnings in motorsport

a proof of life

Despite his work, Demetrius did not lose his purpose: return to the slopes. But, fate struck him at the age of 25. An illness that seemed small became a proof of life or death: Hodgkin’s lymphoma was growing out of control in his body.

“I stopped running to face the new family business with my family and when almost everyone was ready to run again, one day I had severe pain in my chest. Thinking it was a tear due to bad force, I went to the sanatorium, they did a tomography and the doctor tells me to ‘come tomorrow, Dr. Guillermo Coy is waiting for you, ‘”he said.

And he went on to count: “Honestly, I don’t know who he is or what he specializes in. So the next day I was confident that I had tears, but when he came he was a hematologist. He said to me ‘Ray no one dared to tell you …. You have cancer’. The first thing I asked him was if my hair would fall out and his answer was ‘everything’. This is the worst news I have ever received in my life. ”

Ray’s tumor was large, which prevented the doctors from operating on him when they tried to do so. “That same week I had surgery, they opened my mediastinum and the tumor was inoperable, my heart was displaced at the site because the tumor was 13 centimeters. So they just took a sample and a few days later they got the result. The cancer is Hodgkin’s lymphoma. “He continued his story.

a proof of life

Treatment of disease

Treatment to combat the disease is a difficult barrier. “One week after the surgery, treatment started, six hours of chemotherapy a day and radiotherapy every day. It was so hard to look at myself in the mirror, I was bald and weighed 50 kilos.”, He said.

For Ray, life changed overnight and he had to accept the fact that he would never be the same after the challenge that awaited. “I swear I’m crying to get my life back. I wanted to be a normal boy again, to get in the car and run again. Setting these goals is important during treatment “, he explained.

When the desire weakened and the will weakened the legs, motorsports emerged as a mental injection to not give up. “The passion for motorsports is one of the reasons why I fought and gave war to the disease. I wanted and needed to get ahead to run again and feel that adrenaline”, he said.

The return to the slopes

Three years of invasive treatment, check-ups and doctor visits came to fruition and Ray was able to beat the cancer. “When everything happened and I finally recovered, I was scared, I was afraid to feel chest pain, afraid that it would not be the same as before, afraid of everything. But we are back to a new category, the TAC2 of Federated Grouped Categories ”, detailed.

On March 6 of this year, the Federated Grouped Categories opened their calendar at the Rosario racetrack and Demetrio ran there ready to overcome the fear of re -enjoying what he loved: speeding. On top of a Fiat 147 cared for by the Carranza family, Demetrio is once again the boy who made his debut at the age of 16.

“When I ran again on the first date, I was a ball of nerves, of emotions, of wanting to cry and laugh, but everything went more than fine. We got to 13th place with a car I didn’t know, moreover first time I ran in front-wheel drive and first time in Rosario.After 12 years without seeing the checkered flag, it was a sea of ​​tears inside the car.he declared.

And lastly, he reflected on Carburando. “Cancer has taught me to live differently. You have to fight for dreams and set goals. I survived because my goal was to heal myself to run again and now I can tell you that being on the running racetrack and enjoying myself with my family and friends makes me feel more alive than ever. data. It took me 12 years, but I’m sure it was worth it.

#Automotive Racing The driver who beat cancer to race again

Source: Tycsports

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