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Teen Who Fought Ovarian Cancer Is Cancer-Free & Inspiration To Others

AURORA, Colo. (CBS4) - A Colorado teenager has become an inspiration to others. She is believed to be one of the youngest women in the U.S. to develop the most common form of ovarian cancer. It's a disease that usually strikes women four times her age.

Now, Peyton Linafelter is on television and billboards sharing her struggle.

Peyton Linafelter
Peyton Linafelter (credit: CBS)

CBS4 Health Specialist Kathy Walsh first reported Peyton's story in November 2016. This time, Walsh met a much different 16-year-old.

Peyton Linafelter
Peyton Linafelter (credit: CBS)

Peyton was heaving a big medicine ball at CrossFit South Denver. It was hard to believe that just a year ago, the teenager was battling a cancer that even shocked her medical team.

Peyton Linafelter
Peyton Linafelter (credit: CBS)

"When a 16-year-old gets it, ovarian cancer is the last thing on your radar," said Lisa Marie Babayan, a physician assistant who helped care for Peyton at the University of Colorado Hospital.

Peyton had eight rounds of chemotherapy and a seven-hour surgery.

She's 16 and she's tackling this with poise and humor and grace.

... said Tera Linafelter, Peyton's mother, in a TV commercial that tells Peyton's story.

Peyton Linafelter
Peyton Linafelter (credit: CBS)

Tera goes on to explain:

And today, she's cancer free.

Peyton is one of the faces of UCHealth in the health system's new creative campaign.

"I want awareness from how I was then, but I think it's also very important to how I'm doing now," Peyton said.

Peyton is a crazy-busy, normal teen. She started CrossFit with encouragement from Babayan, now a close friend.

Peyton Linafelter (2)
Peyton Linafelter (credit: CBS)

"Cancer brings out the absolute worst in people, but I've never seen that side of her," Babayan said about Peyton. "We kind of got through it together."

Peyton beat cancer. Now, she is moving on with a modeling contract.

"I think I definitely got chosen to have this. I got chosen to beat it. I got chosen to have this amazing life ahead of me," she said.

Peyton Linafelter
Peyton Linafelter (credit: CBS)

Peyton can be a silly 16-year-old, but also a strong survivor. She is both a fashion model and an amazing role model.

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