As I thought about what to write for the Faith Hope and Love Jesus, Inc. Scholarship, I thought about what I love or what I like to do. My first thought was basketball and the reason why I love the sport of basketball. I was seven years old, a typical second grader, waiting for summer to start. I had plans to spend the night with friends, stay up as late as I wanted, and participate in some pageants. Don’t let me fool you, I was a tomboy too and I begged my mom to get involved in sports. I was looking forward to playing summer basketball that year. Little did I know what God had in store for me in the upcoming days and even years.
January 24, 2003, our family heard the most devastating news. “Your child has Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia,” the doctors explained at Children’s Hospital in Birmingham, Alabama. As a family, we didn’t really know which way to turn next. My mom, a great example, dropped her head and started praying, asking God to take over. All we knew was to pray. Having your blood work drawn every day, taking fourteen pills of medicine, and undergoing chemotherapy each week was not something I wanted to be doing. Being seven years old, I just wanted to be out of the hospital and participate in extracurricular activities. Was that a wish to hard to grant for an innocent seven year old? What I would have given to be on the basketball court instead of the hospital beds was more than one could ever think.
The side effects of chemo began to hit me. My appearance started to change drastically. I lost a lot of weight and muscle mass, and my hair began to fall out. Losing my hair was devastating at first, but it did not stop me. It just meant I got to beg my mom for some really cute hats. The doctors would say, “You can’t go outside, don’t get around a lot of people, and wear a mask everywhere you go.” How in the world could I play basketball if these were the rules I had to follow? This was not the routine I dreamed about getting used to, but it had to be now. The hospital was just another home to me. Although, I knew God had something in store for me, but I didn’t realize it until my first basketball practice of my freshman year.
My ninth grade year, I made the Lady Rams Basketball team. I was so overjoyed. After all I had been through; I finally got the chance to play. From the very first day of practice I fell in love with this sport. We had practice during school and after school, just running up and down the court, panting like dogs. One may seem like that is pointless and may ask why would one person enjoy that so much? Well, I loved it! My determination I had to use to get through cancer was beginning to play a role on the basketball court. I was the first one to practice and the last one to leave. When I wasn’t at practice, I was at home shooting free throws, running sprints in the yard, or doing dribbling drills down our driveway.
Being a true freshman, intimidation was a big factor for me. I will never forget the first practice of high school season when the coach began to walk towards me. I had no clue what the coach was about to say or ask me, but I was anxious. “Ashton, you have a natural talent for this sport. Why do you like basketball so much?” coach asked curiously. This is when I stopped and realized why God allowed me to overcome some obstacles in my life. As my coach listened attentively, I began to tell my journey as a seven year old. I continued to explain that I finally have this opportunity to play and I am going to give all the glory to God. My hard work and dedication paid off and I was a four year starter for the Lady Rams Varsity Basketball Team.
After ten years in remission, I can see where the Lord has brought me from and why He has allowed me to see another day. With this scholarship, it would allow me to purse a Master’s degree in Nursing. Now that I’m at this chapter in my life, I want to challenge myself and return the favor to those who are in my position as I once was. In pursuit of becoming a nurse practitioner, my faith, hope and love for God continues to increase each and every day. I look for the Lord to guide me down His path and continue to share my testimony of my experience.
-ASHTON WELBORN