St. Thomas Rallies To Support The Fight Against Cancer

Having a bad game on the baseball diamond is not the worst thing in the world. The chance to play baseball is a privilege to be thankful for, when every which way you look someone you know is battling something far worse, like the dreaded disease cancer. It is an affliction without prejudice, and one that affects us all.

Just prior to the start of this season, this reality reached the St. Thomas Aquinas baseball team when assistant coach Mike Rodriguez left the team after his father was diagnosed with Stage 3 stomach cancer. Coach Rodriguez left for St. Louis to help his family as his father battles through chemotherapy treatments. Following the chemo Mr. Rodriguez will have surgery to remove portions of his stomach, followed by more chemo. It is a tough road ahead to get through this ordeal.

The Raiders players have taken this tough; they miss their coach and they want to show their support in this fight. When the team first found out everyone shaved their heads in solidarity as a tribute. All season long the St. Thomas baseball family has rallied to raise funds, such as when the parents held a tailgate fundraiser to earn $1,800 dollars in gift cards for the Rodriguez family to use within the St. Louis community they reside. They have also raised roughly $1,700 dollars by selling bracelets for Dylan Brooks, a young eight-year old suffering from a massive brain tumor.

As the team began to share the topic amongst one another, the connections they found began to come to light all over. Suddenly they began to realize how many friends and loved ones are affected by this disease.

Friday night the team hosts Pompano Beach in a tribute game to show their support. The team has made special jerseys with the name of a selected loved one on the back, and after wearing it during the game each player and coach will present the jersey to that person. The Raiders have sent invitations to each recipient, and as news of the event began to spread it grew to include further fundraisers. The players asked to have special t-shirts made up which have been sold in school to be worn in support. So far they have sold nearly 600 t-shirts, and the demand is still there for more.

“We have realized how important this game is for everybody, and we are creating awareness and excitement for this game,” said Raiders Manager Troy Cameron. “This is about more than baseball and I’m so happy that the kids are getting this experience. Unfortunately it was very easy for everybody to come up with a name. It’s been overwhelming how thankful they are that we’re doing this and they can’t wait to be there.”

Coaches so often say that it is not about the name on the back of the jersey but the one on the front, but in this case it is all about the name on back. Five players have moms who are fighting cancer, while others are supporting other loved ones and friends. One player will be honoring his third grade teacher. They will play in honor of these brave people who are facing a much tougher challenge. Together they will work to bring awareness to the fight against cancer.

Coach Cameron will be honoring his mother-in-law, who is being flown down for the game to be surprised by the event.

“She thinks she is just coming down for a visit, but actually her name is going to be on my jersey,” said Cameron. “When I was in the minor leagues there was a bulletin board in the clubhouse to nominate people to give back to the community. I always went to the children’s hospitals and it was the most rewarding experiences I’ve had. I always wanted to make sure these kids get that sort of experience.”

Back in December 2012 the team collected toys for Broward General and then delivered them to kids in the children’s ward. It was a moment that had a tremendous impact, especially when the first room they entered led them to fellow classmate Chris Williford. The team was not expecting to see a fellow St. Thomas classmate laying in bed sick and struggling, or a cute teenage girl going through chemotherapy in another room. Seeing their fellow peers made them realize that it is an illness that can attack anyone.

In today’s world the reality is that most everyone is close to someone fighting cancer, or who may have lost that battle. It is a disease that affects so many, and one that runs a risk to affect most anyone. I myself suffer from ulcerlative colitits, and this affliction has an increased risk of cancer over extended times such as the 12 years I have suffered with the illness. It reminds us all that life is precious, that the chance to spend your days at the baseball field are to be treasured and enjoyed for all they are worth. Some of us don’t enjoy that same luxury and opportunity.

Legendary college basketball coach Jim Valvano once gave the greatest speech ever delivered to rally support for the fight against cancer.

“Cancer can take away all my physical abilities,” Valvano said that night. “It cannot touch my mind, it cannot touch my heart and it cannot touch my soul. And those three things are going to carry on forever.”

It was a moment of bravery, passion and honor from a man who then lost his fight with cancer mere weeks later. Valvano’s words helped to inspire us all, while his actions worked to remind everyone that the best way to show support is to appreciate every precious moment that life has to offer.

Friday night Pompano Beach and St. Thomas will play a baseball game that celebrates so much more than just the game. The Raiders players were touched and inspired, and their initial desire to support their loved ones has worked to bring a wave of support from the baseball community.

“This experience is a lot more than just baseball,” said Cameron. “We are just trying to do our part and teach them things that matter most in life.”

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