SPORTS

UWSP's Brodie deals with cancer scare

Scott A. Williams
USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin

STEVENS POINT – The news hit Kyle Brodie like a 100 mile per hour slapshot between the eyes.

One moment the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point defenseman was on top of the hockey world, having just played in the NCAA Division III national championship game March 22.

The next, Brodie was hearing the one word that can shake any person — no matter what age — to their emotional core.

Brodie was at a mall in Boulder when his doctor in Colorado informed him he had cancer — an aggressive form of testicular cancer in his case. The news staggered him, and he took a seat on a bench in the mall and sat silently.

"I must have sat there for 20 minutes without saying a word," Brodie said. "I was in shock. I'm 23 years old, in the best shape of my life. I'm invincible. There is no way anything can be seriously wrong."

Anger. Fear. Confusion. All sorts of emotions swirled through his mind upon hearing the life-altering news.

There were indications in early March that something wasn't right with him physically. Not so much in respect to feeling run down or low on energy. Instead, Brodie, a 6-foot-1, 200-pound All-American, was wondering why the pain level on the receiving end of a check was more intense.

There are going to be aches and pains. It comes with playing hockey, according to Brodie. Hockey players are supposed to be tough and just deal with the pain.

"I was like, 'Holy cow, that has been inside me for two or three months. It's a big, big shock," Brodie said. "I've always been a person who kind of lived in the moment, but this is such a day-to-day thing that I've looked into the future a lot more."

UWSP men's hockey coach Chris Brooks received a phone call from Brodie informing him of the news.

His player was concerned about how cancer would affect his hockey career. Coming off an All-American season, Brodie wondered what impact the diagnosis would have on his upcoming senior season.

Brooks immediately let his standout defenseman understand what he was dealing with was about much more than a game. This was real life, and his health was way more important than any sport.

"I told him that hockey was irrelevant, that 100 percent of his energy needed to be focused on his health and getting better," Brooks said. "Situations like this are part of life, and adversity can help people appreciate things more and not take anything for granted."

Believe it or not, in certain respects, Brodie was fortunate as a cancer patient.

He not only caught the disease in the early stages, but contracted a form of cancer that statistically has a high cure rate. The combination of those factors, along with being a young male in top physical condition, made for an extremely positive prognosis.

"We find men that age to be very brave and don't see a lot of emotional torment or suffering," said Dr. Adedayo Onitilo, an oncologist/hematologist at the Marshfield Clinic in Stevens Point.

"Testicular cancer is often diagnosed at an early stage and is very curable," Onitilo added. "The cure rate for a five-year survivor is around 95 percent."

One week after being informed he had cancer, Brodie had surgery to remove the cancerous growth.

That happened at the end of May, and six weeks of chemotherapy followed. Brodie spent 17 hours a day in bed and another four or five spent hooked up to IVs.

"I wouldn't wish (chemotherapy) on my worst enemy," Brodie said. "I had no desire to do anything."

Brodie is yet another example that cancer doesn't play any favorites. No one is immune to the disease — young or old, athletes or professionals, rich or poor.

Having a chance to witness people going through much more intense treatments, and seeing people who were battling death instead of a loose puck in the corner of a rink, really opened his eyes. Instead of feeling sorry for himself, Brodie felt fortunate.

"I was seeing people who had it 10 times worse than me," Brodie said. "You never ever think you're going to see something like that, and it definitely changes your outlook on life seeing people fighting for their lives every day."

Having players dealing with cancer in their lives was nothing new. Helping them deal with family members stricken with the disease is part of a coach's job. But having a player himself confronted with the reality of having cancer can be something quite different.

"I'm someone who is firmly under the belief that everything in life happens for a reason," Brooks said. "For me, there is going to be a greater good to come out of a situation like this.

"I'm not sure what that is right now or whether it will be personally for Kyle or team-wise," the coach added. "But you come through adversity better for it."

Brodie was intent on playing hockey again. There was never a question he would suit up for the Pointers his senior season.

The question was how soon would he be ready to compete at the required level again.

Not only was Brooks there to help his player from an emotional standpoint, but the coach needed to work with Brodie on a plan of how to handle his return to the ice.

The surgery and treatment robbed him of four months of training over the summer. There was an understanding Brodie would be way behind the rest of the team in conditioning. The plan was to take things slow in training camp in the fall and ease Brodie back into the hockey routine.

"You can't push people through the process," the Pointers coach said. "Here was someone who was a 30-minute a night defenseman who had absolutely no activity for four to six months. He spent the summer battling a lot of things mentally.

"I think coming back to school was good for him, and September, October and November enabled Kyle to get a grasp on the mental side of this and start with the physical," Brooks added. "We still have to monitor the days when he's got it or doesn't (physically)."

There are still ups and downs physically from week to week for Brodie. And he admits he's still not 100 percent the hockey player he was a year ago. But his cancer is in remission, and he managed to work his way into the starting lineup opening night against Finlandia on Nov. 1.

Brodie plans to be on the ice Saturday night for the Pointers' annual "Put a Check to Cancer" event — and it will hit a lot closer to home.

"This event is something I've looked forward to for a long time," Brodie said. "Anytime you wear a special jersey and play for a cause, I think you're going to give a little extra. I know I am."

Scott A. Williams can be reached at 715-345-2282. Find him on Twitter as @SPJScottWill

UWSP men's hockey holding annual cancer event

STEVENS POINT – The University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point men's hokey team, Ministry Health Care and Saint Michael's Foundation will be celebrate six years of "Putting a Check to Cancer," at 7 p.m. Saturday when the No. 5 ranker Pointers host Bethel College atK.B. Willett Arena.

When the Pointers take the ice they will be wearing special edition cancer awareness jerseys and all proceeds from a silent auction of the jerseys will benefit the Breast Care Center Fund at Saint Michael's Foundation.

The Breast Care Center Fund supports patients, programs and the initiatives of the Breast Care Center at Ministry Saint Michael's Hospital. Gifts made to Saint Michael's Foundation's Breast Care Center Fund will help to ensure patients and their families continue to receive quality and compassionate health care.

In five years, "Put a Check to Cancer" has raised more than $20,000 to assist local cancer patients thanks to the support of Pointers hockey to the Saint Michael's Foundation.

Again this year fans have the ability to bid on the jerseys in advance of the event via an online auction. View the special edition Jerseys or make a bid at www.biddingowl.com/PointersHockey.

For more information about the Breast Care Center Fund at Saint Michael's Foundation please call, 715-343-3259.

KYLE BRODIE PROFILE

Position: Defense

Class: Senior

Hometown: Denver, Colo.

2013-14: CCM First Team All-American…First Team All-WIAC…Played in 28 games…Led WIAC defensemen and was sixth in conference in points (26)…Second among WIAC defensemen in goals (8)…Ranked second in WIAC and led all defensemen in assists (18)…Fifth in conference in shots (95)…Two goals came on the power play, one was shorthanded…Had career-high three points on five occasions…Scored two goals and added an assist in win over St. Olaf on Nov. 9…Had three assists in wins over Finlandia on Nov. 2, against UW-River Falls on Feb. 20 and at UW-Superior on Feb. 22.

2012-13: No stats. Sat out a transfer year.

2011-12: Played in 10 games for Bemidji State University of WCHA…Scored one goal and recorded one assist.

2010-11: Skated in six games for Bemidji State…Had one assist.

JUNIORS/HIGH SCHOOL: Played for Wenatchee Wild of NAHL from 2008-2010…In 2009-10, tallied 38 points on 13 goals and 25 assists in 50 games…Team was +29 with him on ice…In 2008-09, had ten points (four goals and six assists) in 31 games.

PERSONAL: Business administration major…Parents are Debbie and Don…Siblings Courtney (19) and Austin (16).