​​​While serving as a counterintelligence agent during his eleventh year in the United States Marine Corps, Clayton Matthew Treska was diagnosed with stage four terminal cancer. Despite the bleak prognosis, Clayton embraced hope and decided to pursue two personal goals while battling this disease. He has succeeded on both fronts by becoming both an Ironman World Championships triathlete and a first-generation college student.

Clayton is a junior at San Diego State University majoring in kinesiology with an emphasis in pre-physical therapy. As a cancer survivor, Clayton volunteers countless hours personally advocating for cancer patients and their families. He shares his experience to inspire others who are struggling with adversity.

​After completing his undergraduate program, Clayton plans to pursue a graduate degree in the medical field and apply his personal experience and knowledge to develop a post-cancer treatment rehabilitation protocol for cancer patients and their physicians.​