A local Bakersfield woman, Mariah Gentry, dedicates her days to working out and being happy. After many battles in her life, it was not easy to get to where she is now. 

In 2012 she was diagnosed with bone cancer and had her femur and knee removed. And in 2016 doctors thought she may have had cancer in one of her lungs, but after being diagnosed it was determined that she had Valley Fever. Gentry had surgery and three ounces of her lung were taken out. 

Although her lung is now a little smaller, Gentry is dedicated to the gym and to being the best version of herself. 

"I was unmotivated. I wasn't healthy. I wasn't smiling and for me, what makes me happy is just being healthy," Gentry said. 

Kern County Public Health official Michelle Corson says that symptoms of Valley Fever can be very similar to the flu. It is recommended to seek a doctor if the symptoms remain longer than two weeks. 

Head in to http://kerncountyvalleyfever.com/ for more information about Valley Fever.