Today we’d like to introduce you to Carlos Alejandro Lujan.
Hi Carlos Alejandro, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
To understand my story, you have to go back to the very beginning—before I even took my first breath. I was born nearly two months premature in a small town called Nuevo Casas Grandes, Chihuahua. It was a high-risk birth, and doctors told my mom I would likely have a disability. But my mom and I are both fighters; I think I was just in a hurry to see the world. I was born with complications, but no disabilities—I guess I was already ‘roaring’ before I even knew how to talk.
Growing up, I had a big, bright dream: I wanted to be on TV. I’d imagine myself as a talk show host or an actor. I carried that ambition with me when I moved to the U.S. at 19 to attend UTEP and later moved to Boston to build my career.
But at 26, the ‘show’ almost stopped. I was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s lymphoma. I went from a rising professional to someone fighting for their life. I lost my hair, my job, and was separated from my family. In those dark moments, I found Leon, a stuffed lion who became my partner in that fight. I promised myself that if I survived, I would build a life worth remembering. Today, I am in Los Angeles, finally pursuing those childhood dreams of acting and hosting, and I wrote ‘Cancer Can’t Stop Me Roar’ to help others find the ‘Leon’ inside themselves.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Not at all. In fact, there were times when it felt like the road had completely disappeared underneath me. I think the hardest part wasn’t just the physical battle with cancer; it was the way the world seemed to turn its back right when I was at my most vulnerable.
Imagine being 26 years old, facing chemotherapy, and then being told you’re fired because you’re sick. It was a total betrayal of my hard work and my dignity. I had to find the energy to fight a legal battle for justice at the same time I was fighting for my next breath. On top of that, because of the pandemic and expired passports, I was isolated. I was in Boston, my family was in Mexico, and I had to face the mirror every day watching my hair fall out and my body change without a single hug from my mother. It was a very lonely, silent kind of struggle.
Even when I tried to turn that pain into something beautiful by writing my book, I hit another wall—I was scammed by a publishing company. They took what little money and hope I had left. I remember sitting there thinking, ‘Is the world trying to tell me to give up?’ But that’s when my ‘inner Leon’ took over. Instead of letting that be the end of the story, I used my nights to teach myself coding and design so I could finish the book on my own. Looking back, the road hasn’t been smooth, but every one of those ‘potholes’ taught me how to be resourceful, how to advocate for myself, and how to keep my sense of humor when things get dark. The struggles didn’t just happen to me; they happened for me, to turn me into the man I am today in LA—someone who knows that no matter how rough the road gets, I have the power to keep moving.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I am a Strategic Storyteller. Professionally, I’m a Project Manager and Marketing Specialist who has managed $149M+ at TikTok. I specialize in Team Health and Culture Strategy—I bridge the gap between corporate data and human connection, building environments where people feel energized to perform.
But creatively – I’m known for my unwavering resilience and my ‘Roar.’ I’m most proud of finishing my book, ‘Cancer Can’t Stop Me Roar,’ on my own terms. After being scammed by a publisher while battling cancer, I taught myself coding and design to publish it myself. I’m currently expanding that mission by writing a second children’s book and a self-help book for adults.
My 360-degree perspective sets me apart. I have the grit of a TikTok manager and the heart of an artist. I’m a premature baby who fought to be born and a survivor who fought to live. Now, I am in Los Angeles actively pursuing my childhood dream of being on TV as a host or actor. I’ve spent my life being a silent fighter; now, I’m ready to use my voice on a global stage.
We’d love to hear about how you think about risk taking?
I view risk as the price of admission for a life worth remembering. My perspective is shaped by the fact that my very existence started as a ‘high-risk’ pregnancy. When you start life fighting for your first breath, you realize that the greatest risk isn’t failure—it’s staying silent and playing small. In my professional and personal life, I categorize risk into two types: reckless gambles and strategic leaps. I don’t take risks blindly; I take them when I know that my resourcefulness and grit are stronger than the obstacles in front of me.
Pricing:
- 11.11
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.cancercantstopmeroar.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cancercantstopmeroar/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/Elcancernodetienemirugir
