For cancer patients, their last day of chemotherapy treatment is a remarkable day worth celebrating. After several months of enduring the difficult process of chemo and its side effects, they have come out strong and are now in the final round of their medication.
It was the reason why Ronnie Foster felt so happy during that fateful day – it was his last day of chemotherapy treatment for colon cancer. Little did he know that before undergoing his final round of treatment, he would receive a piece of unexpected good news that would change his life for the better.
Ronnie was on his way to the hospital for his final round of chemo when he decided to purchase a “Win It All” scratch-off ticket from a Short Stop convenience store in Beulaville.
“I bought a $1 ticket and won $5,” Ronnie said. “I decided to trade it in for a $5 ticket. At the last second, I decided to buy two tickets instead of one.”
When he scratched the first one, he didn’t have any winnings. But after scratching the second ticket, he was left in a state of disbelief.
“I saw all those zeroes and I froze,” Ronnie told the lottery. “I didn’t believe it until I gave it to the clerk at the counter to scan. When it showed, ‘Go to lottery headquarters,’ I started shaking. I couldn’t believe it.”
Winning the lottery and knowing that it was his last day of chemotherapy treatment made Ronnie’s heart swell with joy.
“I was already happy because it was my last round of chemo,” he said. “Winning this made it my lucky day.”
The North Carolina Education Lottery shared Ronnie’s heartwarming story on their official Twitter account.
They wrote: “For Ronnie Foster of Pink Hill, a good day turned into an unforgettable one when he bought a Win It All scratch-off and won the game’s top prize of $200,000 while on his way to his final chemo treatment. “Winning this made it my lucky day,” he said.”
The retired Department of Transportation worker took home net winnings of $141,501.
Ronnie said that while he had medical insurance, a part of his winnings will be used to pay off some of the treatment costs that weren’t covered by his policy. The rest, he says, will be saved “for the future.”
“I have good insurance,” he said. “But there is still some cost. This will make it a whole lot easier.”
Winning the lottery and undergoing chemo for the last time is definitely a cause for celebration. Congratulations, Ronnie!