Cancer Survivor And Steph Curry Doppelganger-Turned 'Meth Curry' Meme Shows Internet Who Got The Last Laugh
![Leon Mitchell](https://d.medicaldaily.com/en/full/368434/leon-mitchell.png?w=588&f=9d7526b69108e79ae5b17955f29ac741)
One of the many unfortunate realities of the Interwebs is it gives people the platform to take an eye-catching picture, put a funny caption over it, and run it as a joke. Internet users rarely think about the people they can hurt on their way to getting a few likes and retweets. Take for example Leon Mitchell, a 31-year-old man from Tacoma, Washington, who survived nasopharyngeal cancer, a rare form of cancer, only to be turned into a meme that draws comparisons to reigning NBA MVP Steph Curry.
"The thing that I think is most important to tell people (is that) the effects these types of things can have on a person is monumental!" Mitchell told BuzzFeed. "It's very easy to post something with no prior knowledge or understanding about someone or something for laughs but at the expense of who and what?? We have to learn more empathy, compassion, and kindness honestly."
The meme, which began circulating in December 2015, featured a photo of Mitchell next to the caption "Meth Curry." Nasopharyngeal cancer effects the upper part of the throat, behind the nose and near the base of the skull, which resulted in certain physical changes Mitchell could not control. While the Internet chose to joke Mitchell was a methamphetamine user, he's actually "a father, husband, survivor, mentor, community advocate, positive motivational speaker, and successful business owner."