NATCHEZ &8212; It has been a long and difficult journey for Breona Ruffin. Thanks to family, friends and her faith, she is coming out of her battle with cancer a victor.

Ruffin, 16, said she came back from visiting some family in Chicago in December of 2005 looking tired, weak and thin.

&8220;I had lost 20 pounds in one month and my grandmother knew something was wrong with me,&8221; Ruffin said.

On Dec. 19, 2005, it was discovered by doctors at Natchez Regional Medical Center that Ruffin had large amounts of fluid around her lungs, so she was rushed to the Blair E. Batson Children&8217;s Hospital in Jackson.

&8220;They had to drain the fluid from my lungs and do a bone marrow aspiration,&8221; Ruffin said.

On Dec. 22 doctors diagnosed Breona with hodgkins lymphoma.

During the second semester of her junior year at Jefferson County High School, Ruffin would undergo six cycles of chemotherapy and 14 cycles of radiation therapy.

To receive treatment, Ruffin had to travel from the University of Mississippi Medical Center&8217;s cancer center from her home in Fayette and had to miss most of her junior year.

&8220;I decided I wasn&8217;t going to let the doctor&8217;s cancer counseling get me down, so I kept myself going by getting my work done,&8221; Ruffin said.

Breona&8217;s mother, Deborah Ruffin, said she was determined to keep Breona in high spirits and not get distracted with bad news.

&8220;I wasn&8217;t going to allow self pity to sink in,&8221; Deborah said. &8220;I made sure she did something constructive whether it was getting her school work done or helping around the house in whatever way she could.&8221;

Besides Breona&8217;s insurance coverage, Deborah said her coworkers at Grand Gulf in Port Gibson took up a collection for Breona.

Deborah said it was the support of freinds that carried her through.

&8220;Brenda Buck has been my guardian angel,&8221; Deborah said. &8220;There were times where she would provide transportation to take Breona to Jackson when I had to work.&8221;

Another Godsend for Breona was her grandmother, Matteal Shaw, Deborah said.

&8220;Whenever we have to travel to Jackson and stay overnight, she graciously lets us sleep over at her home,&8221; Deborah said. &8220;Our whole family even spent the holidays in her house.&8221;

On June 16, 2006, Breona finished her last treatment of radiation therapy

Throughout her struggle, Breona and her mother said they relied on their faith in God to see them through.

&8220;When I first found out I had cancer, I thought I was going to die and I kept asking God why he chose me,&8221; Breona said. &8220;Now I realize he chose me for a reason. What that reason is I don&8217;t know yet.&8221;

&8220;Everything God does is part of His divine plan,&8221; Deborah said. &8220;I don&8217;t doubt her wellness because I know He&8217;ll heal her.&8221;

At the conclusion of her other treatments and after everything is over, Breona plans on attending either Copiah-Lincoln Community College in Natchez or attending Alcorn State University and majoring in child development.

She also plans on volunteering with the American Cancer Society.