Teen Cancer Survivor To Compete In National Bike Race In Allentown

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ALLENTOWN, Pa. (CBS) — A national bike race is coming to Allentown next week and one of the competitors will be a teenage cancer survivor.

The 16-year-old Krishna twins from Allentown are nationally ranked cyclists.

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"We've always loved cycling around on the street, so when we learned there was competitive cycling, we jumped on the opportunity," said Dhruv, the brother of cancer patient Arnav, who was diagnosed with osteosarcoma.

Arnav ended up ranking 18th in the nation.

"I think I could have done a lot better but my leg was hurting a bit and it went down from there," Arnav said.

He had a 14-hour surgery to remove the tumor and save his leg, and then chemotherapy.

"The doctors told us that this is the most aggressive form of bone cancer," said Nitin Krishna, Arnav's father.

For Arnav, it was a rough hill to climb but it got easier.

"It was pretty tough afterwards for a few months but it eventually got better," he said.

And now, it's all better.

Arnav's doctors have cleared him to compete in the USA Nationals in Allentown on July 11.

"I've been training a lot trying to get back to where I was," Arnav said. "It's been really nice to be normal again, I guess, and being back on the bike is really nice. I love the feeling of riding again."

And right there with him will be his brother.

"It's an incredible feeling. I went a whole year racing without him and it's good to have him back," Dhruv said.

Arnav and his family are ambassadors for the Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation, joining together in the fight against childhood cancer, something that's looming large in Arnav's future.

"I think I want to get into medicine," Arnav said. "I want to become a doctor to help people just like me going through cancer and maybe a beacon of hope for them."

But first he has to finish high school and will be a junior this fall.

For the upcoming nationals, Arnav says he's still not back to full strength but he's getting there.