‘Courage, fear, faith, family, soccer, brave’

Carrie Hibbeler’s teenage son Nick was diagnosed with testicular cancer two years ago. She says that her son has found strength and support on the soccer field.

“As a parent of a seemingly healthy, very athletic teen, we felt like we were punched in the stomach. When you hear ‘cancer,’ you think of possible death. The waiting to find out what type of cancer, the stage and the treatment is almost unbearable. Our son was scared, and his older and younger sisters were hysterical. It was the most horrific experience I have ever been through.

“My 16-year old son was diagnosed with cancer in August 2013. After three major surgeries and six rounds of chemo (30 days of chemo), he developed chylous ascites, a leak in the lymph system. We contacted specialists across the country and were lucky to receive treatment at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia. Our local doctors, at KU Cancer Center, are WONDERFUL! We see the oncologist every three months and just recently moved to six month CT scans.

“My son continued to play soccer during chemo treatment until he was no longer able to play due to surgery and sickness. He said when he was playing soccer, it was the only time he would forget he had cancer. He was team captain for Park Hill High School men's soccer. He was getting ready to go on the field to play.

“Soccer motivated my son during treatment. His team came to chemo days with him. They brought the bus by his house after winning a tournament. They celebrated when he could play. The entire soccer program (three teams and all coaches) shaved their heads when Nick had to shave his head. Their slogan was "You'll Never Walk Alone." And they were there with him every step of the way.”