20-year-old Oklahoman with cancer gets life-changing gift
By Kilee Thomas
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OKLAHOMA CITY (KOCO) — A 20-year-old college student who was having to walk to work, class and doctors’ appointments received a life-changing gift this week.
Saphirah Hoffman, a student at the University of Central Oklahoma, was diagnosed with brain cancer in the fall. She found out after she was involved in a major car accident.
“I ended up crashing into a deer at 80 mph and that totaled my car,” Hoffman said.
While getting treatment for the crash, doctors made the discovery.
“I remember the doctor coming in and telling me I have cancer,” Hoffman said. “I’m like, ‘I have cancer? I’m 20.'”
After losing her car in the accident, she now had to walk to all the places she used to drive.
“Walking to the doctor would take like four hours just to get there, and then once I got there, I was pretty exhausted,” Hoffman said.
After hearing her story, Tenaciously Teal, an Oklahoma City nonprofit organization focused on helping patients battle cancer, knew they had to step in.
“We were seeing what we could do to provide some type of transportation for her, so we reached out with our partners at Cavender Subaru,” said Tarah Warren, the nonprofit group’s executive director.
Hoffman was gifted a brand-new car, free of charge or worry.
“To provide at such a level to someone in need was really an awesome experience,” said Kirk Albarian, the general manager of Cavender Subaru of Norman.
Hoffman is still in the early stages of her diagnosis, but she said the gift makes the unknown a little easier.
“We couldn’t be more blessed I feel that we are able to experience this with Saphira,” said Nathan West, the new car director at the dealership.
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