A community is rallying around an Orange County couple as they both battle cancer while raising three young daughters.

Zak Salazar discovered he had a brain tumor while his wife Cori Salazar was being treated for thyroid cancer. 

Cori had just returned back to work after months away as she was receiving treatment for thyroid cancer. Just as the family was focused on Cori, suddenly, Zak received the shocking news that a malignant tumor was found on his brain.

In April, Cori was diagnosed with a fast-growing papillary thyroid carcinoma. Following recovery from a June 6 surgery, just three weeks later, Zak was diagnosed with a grade four astrocytoma brain tumor.

As the Mission Viejo couple makes the best of their situation while fighting their respective cancers, they haven’t lost hope and their priority remains focused on raising their children the best they can.

“We’re going to beat it,” Zak said. He had been experiencing continual headaches prior to his diagnosis.

“We found out that he had a brain tumor,” said Cori. “Our lives have changed pretty drastically since then.”

Both Salazars have since undergone immediate surgeries to remove their cancerous cells.

Married for seven years, the couple recalls having to break the news to their three young daughters — a 4-year-old, a 3-year-old, and an 18-month-old.

“We just explained to them that there was something yucky that the doctors needed to get out from Mommy and we said about the same thing for Zak,” Cori said. “They don’t know that Daddy has cancer. We don’t say that word or anything like that yet.”

Zak is now recovering from brain surgery but will require an intense treatment regimen that includes radiation, chemotherapy and additional surgery. 

“It is treatable with chemotherapy and radiation, however, it is not curable,” Zak said of his condition. “It will always come back. To us, there’s just one option — Plan A — and that’s just to survive.”

Support has since been pouring in from family, friends and even strangers they’ve never met.

“Just this overwhelming amount of love, support, prayers, financial help,” Cori said. “It’s been incredible.”

When not taking care of their children, Cori works as a dental hygienist and Zak works as a park ranger for Orange County Parks. Due to necessary treatment for their cancers, the couple’s hospital stays have forced them to take leaves of absence from their jobs. 

In the meantime, the couple is staying positive, focused on getting better and choosing to see cancer as a teacher of life lessons.

“I’m enjoying my life in a different way,” Cori said. “In a way that I never thought I could since these cancer diagnoses.”

“This cancer diagnosis probably saved my life because it woke me up,” Zak said. “My girls need me and Cori needs me and therefore it doesn’t matter what the numbers say. Failure is not an option.”

A GoFundMe page was set up to help the Salazars with medical expenses. Any funds collected that won’t be used for the Salazars’ treatment will be donated to someone going through a similar medical battle, the couple said.