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Athlete Of The Month

Mike Matthews
of Georgia

Lacrosse Player for Indiana Tech University

~~~

We found out about Mike through his Mother, Ellen.  She found our site while surfing the Internet and decided she would like
to head up a fund raiser for our program. After hearing Mike's story there was no doubt that he needed to be
our next Athlete Of The Month. You will be greatly inspired as you read his interview with us, as well as, words from
his Mother and a dear friend. We thank Mike for sharing his story with us and our readers, as many will be inspired.

A big thanks, too, to Mike's Mother, Ellen,
his sister, Jess, and California Pizza Kitchen (Georgia)

as they head up our next Fund Raiser, at 2 locations!
(More details on our home page)

Stay strong, Mike!
Sincerely,
Alex Avram, web site sports writer

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Here are a few words from Mike's Mother, Ellen.........

" When Mike first came to me with the suspicion that something was wrong with him and that he wanted to go to the doctor I was surprised. Then he told me he had been up most of the night doing research on the internet and that he thought it could be cancer. I will never forget that day. Things happened quickly, tests, diagnosis & surgery but Mike was amazing. He quickly got back into life. 6 months later we got word that the cancer had returned. Even with that verdict and chemo in his future his attitude never changed. His faith in god has grown stronger and he continues to set new goals for himself. I am so proud of Mike and the incredible young man he has become."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Here are a few words from Mike's friend, Miss Taylor Jordan.........

"I Call Him Superman Two years ago, I met a boy. One year ago, that same boy became my best friend. Nine months ago, my best friend was diagnosed with cancer. Eight months Ago, he became my hero; he had beaten cancer. Three months ago, my friend learned that the cancer that he once thought he beat, had returned. It was not until then that I realized just why he was my hero or my “superman” as I called him. My hero had turned me into a firm believer in faith. He taught me that the one who walks closest to the Lord, is the one who truly succeeds in life. It was a brisk autumn night, when four of my closest friends came over to my house to hang out. Mike had just come home to Roswell from college in Indiana. We all sat on my wooden porch, reconnecting in the cold fall chill. It was good getting together and hearing what they had experienced so far in college, and how our separate lives had been. Then all of a sudden it seemed as though the night took a turn for the worse. We all turned our attention toward Mike because he said in his very quiet serious voice, that he had something to tell us. At this point we all knew that what he had to say was serious because Mike was not generally a quiet person. We all starred at him in disbelief when he told us that his blood work results for the past month had come back positive for cancer cells. All I could remember then were a million flashbacks from his last run in with cancer; his weak body laying on his couch, the odd text messages he sent while he was on his medicine, and the long dreadful day at school I had to go through while he was in surgery. With a tear in my eye I asked him what the doctors were going to do, and he told us that his treatment plan was to undergo chemo therapy in a long attempt to kill the cancer, for good. All I could imagine was a bald-headed Mike, my superman bald and sick? How was I supposed to deal with that? Of course as Superman, he told us that there was nothing to worry about, that God was on his side and that he beaten it once, and he knew he can beat it again. Even with what he was going through my superman was able to console me as I cried in his lap. Over the Christmas break my best friend went through his third round of chemo, and almost his last. When I saw him he was stronger then ever and still had not given up on his body because he knew in his heart that God would get him through. His faith astounds me and all of our friends everyday. I know in my heart that he is the one out of everyone in my life that will truly succeed."

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And now.......
Mike's Interview

1. 1.  When did you first learn about your illness and what were the symptoms
   that lead you to the doctor?

• Well the first time I discovered the cancer was a 2 weeks before I was set to graduate high school. I could tell because I felt a lump in a place it should not have been. The second time was right before thanksgiving in 2009 and  I was not the one who discovered it. My doctor told me my blood results came back high.
  
  2.  I understand your cancer has returned.  Tell us about your treatment
  and status, at this point, if possible and also, how you are feeling
  physically and emotionally.
• At this point I am one short 15 minute session of chemotherapy of being all done. Currently I have no signs of cancer in my blood. I feel very close to normal and I am currently back practicing with my college lacrosse team.
  
  3.  What did this news mean for you as an athlete?
• It meant that I was going to have to miss a month or so of off season training, and lose some endurance and muscle. But as for playing I was never doubting being ready by the season.
  
  4. If, for any reason, you could not continue on as a player, would you be
  interested in Coaching?
• I want to be a coach after I finish my four years of college ball, I don’t think anything can pull me away from being a player. Not even cancer.
  
  6.  Tell us about the strength and support you receive from your teammates
  and coach.
• The strength and support I received from my teammates was unbelievable. I cant believe that these kids I had met maybe two months ago could grow so much to become like a family to me. There was no point in my treatment that I felt like they weren’t behind me 100%. My coaches were also very helpful always very willing to help out and never tried to push me back into playing, they were more concerned about my health then forcing a recovery.

7. Do you feel being an athlete has helped through these tough times?

• No doubt it has helped me out. I always had something to look forward to.
  
  8. What have you discovered about yourself since learning of your illness?
• That I rely on my family and friends for strength a lot more then I knew before. Also I learned that no matter what they will always be there behind me.
  
  9.  Do you have any religious convictions and if so, how does that help you?
• I do. I am catholic and I believe that god helped me through this. I also believe that the reason he gave me this test was to make me a stronger person after it all was over with.
  
  

10. When will you graduate college and what will be your degree?

• I will graduate in 2013. I am majoring in sports management.

11. What advice would you give any other athlete who may be sharing your
same experience?

• Believe in yourself, your faith, your friends, and most importantly your family. Never let the disease control you and limit what you can do.
  

12. What advice would you give to parents of teen or college age athletes
who are in your same situation?  What can these parents do to be the best
support possible for their children?

• My best advice is to realize that if were upset or acting angry towards you, its not you. My mom became a pro at this, I think I got upset with her at least once a day but it was only because I was tired and not feeling well.

13. Name at least one of your favorite athletes and tell us why they are
your favorite.

• My favorite athlete is professional lacrosse player Mikey Powell. He is my favorite player because I love the way he plays the game, how he always seems like he is having a great time playing and like there’s no where else he would rather be.

14. What additional statements, if any, would you like to make about your
situation?

• Even though it was not a good time in my life, and I lost a lot of weight and felt pretty miserable most of the time I would not trade the experience for anything. It may seem crazy because cancer is not a fun thing. I know it helped me grow as a person and it brought me a lot closer to my family and friends. It made me realize I cant live my life like tomorrows a given.

Our Web Site Sports Writer

Alex Avram - Website Sports Writer

On the field with BUSA American Lady Jets

E-Mail Miss Avram: Alex@athleteskickincancer.com

Alex aslo invites you to visit www.SoccerSisters.net

Scroll down to the bottom of the page to read about Miss Avram

photo by Rick Byrd

   \      

A special visit to the White House July 2008 Alex and her Mom and brother in the Rose Garden outside the Oval Office and News Conference Room

    About Miss Avram:

Congrats to Alex for making the Dean's List for the University of West Florida as a Freshman and

for being inducted into Phi Eta Sigma National College Honor Society

She is presently attending the University of Alabama

Alex graduated from Hoover High School (Hoover, Alabama) in May 2007.  She entered University of West Florida, in the Fall of 2007 and played soccer for the college team.   She scored 3 goals during her Fresmen year and the team went on to win second place at the Gulf South Conference losing to The University of Montevallo.  Alex was invited on scholarship to play for Coach Patricia Hughes at the University of Montevallo but decided to attend the University of Alabama instead.   She has played soccer since the age of 5 and has always enjoyed a lot of success.   Played for the Lady Bucs HS Varsity Soccer Team and was the backup Goal Keeper.  Her senior year she was named Captain and also won MVP and the Booster Club Athletic Scholarship.  Alex is a 3 time Birmingham News All State and All Metro Soccer Honors Player.  In 2007, she played for the newly formed Birmingham United Soccer Club Lady Jets '89 with Coach John Markey.  Alex has participated with ODP (Olympic Development Program) and was on the Alabama State ODP team.  She has her Youth Module Level Coaching License and enjoys coaching when time permits.  She has received many awards during her soccer career but is most proud of an award she received in 2005 as a sophomore at Hoover.  She was awarded the first annual Caitlin Sweeney-McDaniel Award for Courage.  She received this award because of her relentless ability to continue pressing forward, giving even beyond her best, staying on top of her game, even though her Mother was diagnosed with Stage 3C Breast Cancer and was undergoing chemotherapy.  At the time, Alex normally played defense but she scored a goal off of a corner kick when briefly pushed up as center mid during a game, the night after her Mother had surgery.  She counts that as one of her most memorable moments!  She had dedicated that game to her Mom and was determined to make it meaningful.  She was a true inspiration to her teammates.  Alex loves ALL sports and it is not unusual to find her curled up by the radio listening to a football game when it is not being aired on TV.  She also enjoys playing her guitar, writing music, and singing in Church.  She has a 15 year old brother who plays guitar, writes songs, plays drums, and enjoys skate boarding and basketball.   Alex's Mother is Ms. Patricia Lee, Founder-CEO Athletes Kickin' Cancer Non Profit Organization and her father is Dr. Stephen Avram of Sand Mountain, Alabama.

Kelly Donavon, Administrative Manager