WESTERN BUREAU:
Despite a bone cancer diagnosis that prevents him from attending school physically and which has already robbed him of one leg, 17-year-old Caribbean Online Academy (COA) graduate Nathel Taylor is defying the odds by completing his education virtually, while pursuing his dream to become a doctor.
Taylor, who hails from Spanish Town, St Catherine, and is currently entering fourth form at COA, suffers from osteosarcoma, an aggressive form of bone cancer, which usually begins in the arms or legs and is prevalent in teenagers and young adults.
However, he is determined not to let his illness destroy his schooling opportunities.
“I feel proud of myself for my academic success, especially while dealing with my health issues, and while being supported by my family and my wonderful teachers.
“Cancer took a lot of my time, but I refuse to let it take my education as well,” Taylor told The Gleaner.
”People ask me how I do my schooling and my hospital visits at the same time.
Honestly, I just take it one day at a time, and if I have chemotherapy or a check-up to do, I will do my work in the evenings or after I reach home,” he explained.
Taylor’s resolution led to him copping the highest number of student awards during COA’s awards ceremony in July 2025, where he was the top overall student in his grade-eight batch. He also got the top prizes in his year-group for Physics, English Language, Social Studies, Business Studies, and Information Technology.
“I am motivated by my goal of entering the medical field, and by my mom, who encourages me to strive for success. I never let an entire day go by without doing something, and it does not matter how small it is, I will still do something,” he continued.
“For example, I usually take 15 minutes doing Mathematics, or I will read a page of my Biology handouts. Even though it may be small, the small things add up over time.”
Latoya Lemonious, Taylor’s mother, described her son’s educational drive as an inspiration for herself, even while she is currently trying to raise funds to purchase a prosthetic leg for him, valued at more than $891,000.
“Watching Nathel fight for his education while fighting cancer showed me what real strength looks like. On hard days, such as after hospital visits, we will talk about his classes, and I tell him that cancer took his leg but not his future. We make sure he knows we are behind him 100 per cent,” said Lemonious.
Meanwhile, COA’s principal Judian Wright said that Taylor serves as a living example to the school’s administration and student body as it relates to overcoming challenges which seem insurmountable.
“Nathel Taylor has had a profound impact on our entire school community. Despite battling bone cancer, he has consistently demonstrated resilience. He is a very determined young man, and very optimistic,” said Wright.
“He brings a sense of enthusiasm and positivity to the classroom and the entire school community. Through his example, he teaches us that our circumstances do not have to determine our outcomes.”
COA was established in 2016 by Wright and her husband, Donovan Wright, with the aim of creating a learning community of diverse and intellectually driven students and teachers striving for excellence in the Caribbean’s regional standardised examinations.
Its Homeschool Academy Division was founded in 2022 by Wright’s daughter Jada Wright, as an open-ended online home-schooling option for students struggling to meet the scheduling demands of the traditional school system.
christopher.thomas@gleanerjm.com
