“Cancer.” No other word in the English language has the cold, numbing effect when you are told you have this disease.
Cancer, whether directly or indirectly, has affected each and every one of our lives. But imagine finishing your first semester of college, on top of the world, and then being told that you have been dealt his unfortunate hand.
This is what happened to 18-year-old freshman, Saintsation Emily Evans. After completing her first semester, Evans was diagnosed in February with osteosarcoma—bone cancer. Evans was told that she would face a seven to nine month fight.
Two months into her fight against cancer, Evans has faced this disease with courage and positive energy, and she would not have it any other way.
“I really try not to focus on the situation I am in, and I think about the blessings I have in my life. Why be sad when you can be happy? I choose to think about my amazing family and friends, the great care and treatment I am getting and the little things that keep me going,” Evans said.
Evans’ ordeal with cancer began back in December 2011 when she began to experience pain in her knee, which got progressively worse. In January, the athletic trainers recommended that Evans go to SLU Hospital, where a mass was discovered near her knee.
Evans had a biopsy done. Initially, doctors thought it was an infection, but on Feb. 10, Evans received the shock of her life.
“I knew from his choked up voice the results of my biopsy weren’t good,” Evans said. “When he [the doctor] said, ‘You have osteosarcoma,’ I can’t even explain my reaction. I went numb. When you hear the word ‘cancer,’ whatever follows is lost in a blur. Your heart just stops beating. I cried with my parents.”
The news also stunned her parents sitting in the room with her when the announcement was made.
“The blood drained from my head and I got dizzy. As he explained the diagnosis from pathology, I thought we were in a movie,” Emily’s mother, Jane said.
After her diagnosis, Evans packed up her things and moved back to Cleveland to fight this disease.
“When I was diagnosed and discharged from the hospital, I had about five hours to go back to campus, tell all my friends I have cancer, pack up some things from my dorm and say goodbye before I flew back home to Cleveland the next morning. That was devastating, and it is hard to be away from school,” Evans said.
A possible source of Evans’ positive mentality, besides her own personal conviction, is her relationship with the Saintsations. Evans called the Saintsations her “second family.” Evans was a part of the Saintsations last semester and has had a lasting effect on them due to her positive mindset.
“She is the most positive person and knows exactly how to bring [the team’s] spirit up. She is so bright and full of positive light that it is impossible not to love her,” Saintsation Alyssa Wedding said.
“She is facing her cancer head on, fearlessly, with a smile on her face every step of the way. It is for these reasons and more that I have absolutely no doubt or worry in my mind that Emily will beat this,” Saintsation Janae Dearing said.
In March, during the Billikens’ trip in the NCAA tournament, the team chartered a bus up to Cleveland to visit Evans while she was at the Cleveland Clinic.
“The Saintsations’ visit to us at the Cleveland Clinic when they were in Columbus for the NCAA tournament was wonderful. Emily had a difficult time that weekend – she felt awful, had difficulty breathing and a rotation of medicine on top of missing the tournament, was almost too much to bear. We loved the fact they were able to travel on the charter bus and see her and our family,” Emily’s parents said.
With all these people around her, Evans has an enlightening perspective about cancer.
“My family likes to call it ‘the little c’ because it is never bigger than us. Cancer affects so many people, not just the person diagnosed. I feel like my whole family has cancer because we are going through it together,” Evans said.
Besides her direct family, she has a very supportive community at Saint Louis University, which she is very grateful for every day.
“Your continuous words, thoughts and prayers get me through my worst days. When I feel like I can’t do this anymore, I think of you and I think of the day when I will be back on campus, when this is all over,” Evans said.
Evans’ mindset and strength is an inspiration for anyone fighting cancer. There are certainly many people cheering for her to defeat this disease and return to SLU.
