The 3L in the Common Law Section, who will graduate as scheduled in June, was diagnosed with a brain tumour when he was in first year.
But thanks to brain surgery and an experimental new drug called vorasidenib, the future looks bright and Hepner is determined to give back.
“If speaking out can move the needle even 0.1% for someone else going through something similar, it's worth it,” he says.
“When I was in the thick of my diagnosis during 1L, I looked to examples of people who didn't slow down on their goals and kept pushing forward despite everything. That mattered to me. If I can be that example for even one person, showing that a diagnosis doesn't have to redefine your trajectory or shrink your ambitions, then that's a success.”
Rachel Leck, Assistant Dean Student Services, says Hepner has demonstrated a "remarkable commitment" to his legal education in the face of a challenging medical diagnosis.
"He is an example to his peers of the resiliency necessary to succeed in the legal profession, and we admire and share in his optimism and excitement for his future."
After graduation and the bar exam, he will article at the Toronto firm of Beard Winter LLP and will be DJ-ing in Toronto and continuing to release music under his alias "Hep" in his free time.
“I feel very optimistic about the future. There was a time where I wasn’t sure whether or not I was necessarily going to graduate and just to be the top of the summit here, finishing up law school and looking ahead to moving back to Toronto starting the rest of my life it’s awesome. It’s really exciting and I couldn’t be more thrilled. “
In July 2024, a bout of persistent headaches sent him to the emergency room and led to a life-altering diagnosis. A CT scan showed a tumour in the left frontal lobe of his brain, a region critical to language and memory.
Although he was initially told to adopt a “watch and wait” approach, monitoring the tumour’s progression without intervention, he was referred to Princess Margaret Cancer Centre in Toronto, where a more proactive path was recommended.
A newly approved targeted therapy, vorasidenib, was showing remarkable promise in clinical trials. After undergoing brain surgery that confirmed he was eligible for the drug, he began treatment on October 28, 2024.
He was one of the first people in Canada to be on Voranigo. Although the drug costs over 40,000 USD per month, he is fortunate to receive it at no cost.
A recent MRI showed no tumour progression, a major milestone in a disease where stability is a victory. “This drug gave me hope. It let me start dreaming again,” Hepner said.
As someone whose life has been reshaped by science, he is now using his legal training to advocate for continued investment in cancer research.
Last October, he joined the American Association for Cancer Research in Washington to lobby for increased funding for cancer research.
“This drug didn’t appear out of nowhere. It took 15 years of research. And there are people today who still can’t access it,” he told the American Association of Cancer Research.
“They used my story, from initial surgery through biopsy to being on vorasidenib, to illustrate why sustained federal investment in medical research matters. This drug genuinely changed my life, but there's still so much work left to do, and research funding is what makes that work possible.”
He has also raised $25,000 for the Princess Margaret Hospital’s Journey to Conquer Cancer and will be featured in their summer fundraising campaign.
“My view is pretty straightforward: any platform, any audience, any chance to raise awareness about this disease and the people living with it is worth showing up for.”
To policymakers, Hepner has a simple message: “Cancer research saves lives—mine is proof. But it doesn’t happen without funding. We need to keep investing so that more people get the future I almost lost. I’m a walking, talking example of the difference cancer research can make.”
Last year, the Faculty awarded Hepner the inaugural Alex Stewart Memorial Bursary. Stewart received his law degree posthumously last June after losing a battle with cancer.
“While I did not know Alex [Stewart] well, we had our January DRPR classes together in 1L. We would always sit together, and I remember him talking about his daughters and our beloved Maple Leafs. I was deeply saddened to learn of his passing and have tried to carry his spirit of resilience with me through the past year.
“It is a tremendous honour to receive this bursary, and it serves as a powerful motivator to keep pushing forward — both in academics and in advocacy”
Alex Hepner, 3L
— Inaugural recipient of the Alex Stewart Memorial Bursary
Last month, Hepner was featured in our Fauteux Families series as he began law school 44 years after his grandmother Ellen Stensholt graduated in 1979.
“My grandmother Ellen spoke fondly of her time at Fauteux, and that left a lasting impression. Her experience definitely influenced my decision. It felt like continuing a family tradition while also carving my own path.”