As we have drawn closer and closer to Relay for Life, my coworker Desiree Taylor has done a wonderful job telling you about various cancer survivors in the area.

Now, it’s my turn to tell you about one more, myself.

I was diagnosed with Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma at 12-years-old.

As an active child with a dad who coached high school baseball and football, I was around the older boys throwing and working on my game for Dixie Youth until that spring when it hurt to throw and hurt even more to run.

I went to the local doctor on Feb. 2, 1999 (I met my brother there who had to get stitches in his arm that day,) and he sent me to a specialist at Children’s Hospital in Birmingham the next day.

I was rushed into surgery and found out the diagnosis on a Saturday while watching Alabama and Kentucky play basketball.

My oncologist, Dr. Raymond Watts, spent the entire game with us after giving us the news, just watching the game.

After that began two years of chemotherapy, which, thanks to great doctors, nurses and prayers, wasn’t that bad for me.

I continued to play baseball each spring even though I did go hitless for two years.

I continued to make good grades in school despite having to miss so many days and I had the chance to take wonderful trips with new friends who were going through the same things I was.

Now, more than 10 years later, I know just how lucky I was to go into remission without much pain or sickness, but there are so many that aren’t as lucky.

That’s why Relay for Life is so important and why I love that so many cities across the nation do their best to raise the funds for cancer awareness.

I hope that you are planning on coming out to Memorial Stadium to participate in the year’s version.

If so, I’ll see you there.