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NorCal Teen With Leukemia Gets His Wish To Go See The World Cup In Brazil

SALINAS (CBS) -- The Make-A-Wish foundation is sending a Salinas teen who suffers from leukemia to see the World Cup soccer matches in Brazil.

Nineteen-year-old Ruben Rubio-Reyes and his dad boarded a plane Saturday for Rio de Janeiro and Curitaba. The pair will see Iran play against Nigeria on Monday, and watch Honduras face off with Equador on Friday.

The Make-a-Wish Foundation is sending some 40 young people in the U.S. to the World Cup as part of the foundation's mission to fulfill the dreams of children with life-threatening illnesses.

An avid sports fan, Rubio –Reyes suffers from acute lymphoblastic leukemia. He was diagnosed when he was 15.

According to his family, he head to give up team sports at school while he underwent chemotherapy, blood transfusions and lumbar punctures.

When Rubio returns from the World Cup, he'll undergo five more months of chemotherapy.

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