{"id":69706,"date":"2023-04-26T16:16:47","date_gmt":"2023-04-26T22:16:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.uchealth.org\/today\/?p=69706"},"modified":"2023-05-02T08:56:57","modified_gmt":"2023-05-02T14:56:57","slug":"arapahoe-boys-lacrosse-team-helps-women-with-breast-cancer","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.uchealth.org\/today\/arapahoe-boys-lacrosse-team-helps-women-with-breast-cancer\/","title":{"rendered":"Inspired by their moms, Arapahoe lacrosse players support women fighting breast cancer"},"content":{"rendered":"
<\/div>
\"Players
Players with the Arapahoe boys lacrosse team jog onto the field during their “Pink Out” game to support women fighting breast cancer. Photo by Cyrus McCrimmon, for UCHealth.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Wearing bright pink shirts to support breast cancer patients, an entire team of boys lacrosse players jogged into their stadium for a Friday night game and warmed up in formation.<\/p>\n

Above the stands and the green field, tears welled in the eyes of two moms as they watched the young men stretch and pump each other up to face a key rival in shirts that said \u201cPurpose4Pink.\u201d<\/p>\n

That\u2019s because both Julie Fulkerson and Deb Hilgert have had to go through breast cancer treatments over the past year. And now, they were watching with pride as their sons educated an entire high school community about what it\u2019s like to deal with cancer.<\/p>\n

\"Arapahoe
Arapahoe lacrosse moms, Deb Hilgert, left, and Julie Fulkerson, right, both have had to cope with breast cancer treatments over the last year. Their sons led an effort to raise money for other women dealing with breast cancer. Photo by Cyrus McCrimmon, for UCHealth.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Julie and Deb\u2019s cancer journeys might have remained quiet and private. But their sons, Fred Fulkerson and Noah Hilgert, both 18, are seniors and standout lacrosse players at Arapahoe High School.<\/p>\n

Their team won state championships last year.<\/p>\n

This year, the players would like to clinch another state title, but they\u2019re also going for a win off the field.<\/p>\n

Seniors at Arapahoe do what\u2019s called a \u201ccapstone project.\u201d They choose a theme in English class and work on a project throughout the year. Inspired by their moms, Fred and Noah decided to work with two friends, Tommy Leonard and Thaddeus Sharkey, to raise money for \u201ccold capping,\u201d a procedure that helps breast cancer patients keep their hair when they\u2019re going through chemotherapy treatments.<\/p>\n

Cold capping helped Julie keep all of her hair during 12 weeks of chemotherapy. It also made it easier for her to continue working full-time as a dental hygienist without having to feel like she looked sick or needed to explain to her patients that she was fighting breast cancer.<\/p>\n

\"Arapahoe
Arapahoe lacrosse team member, Fred Fulkerson, with his mom, Julie. Fred and three buddies created the Purpose4Pink project to raise money for women so they can keep their hair during chemotherapy treatments. Photo by Cyrus McCrimmon, for UCHealth.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

While Deb had to go through radiation rather than chemotherapy and didn\u2019t need cold capping, she owns a hair salon, Fl\u014d Salon + Lounge in Greenwood Village<\/a>, and was deeply touched that the boys chose to highlight a cause that helps women retain their hair and their dignity during cancer treatments.<\/p>\n

\"Arapahoe
Arapahoe lacrosse team member, Noah Hilgert, with his mom, Deb. Deb had to go through radiation rather than chemotherapy, but owns a hair salon and was touched when Noah and his teammates decided to help women keep their hair during chemotherapy treatments. Photo by Cyrus McCrimmon, for UCHealth.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Noah and Fred know that male lacrosse players aren\u2019t always viewed as the most thoughtful, sensitive guys.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe typical view is that lacrosse players are selfish, arrogant and full of themselves,\u201d Noah said.<\/p>\n

But through their Purpose4Pink project, the players have formed connections with all sorts of students and teachers throughout their school, including some who are dealing with cancer in their families. They\u2019ve been selling pink bracelets to support breast cancer throughout the spring. And they recently sold out of hundreds of their fuchsia Purpose4Pink shirts before sponsoring a \u201cPink Out\u201d event at their April 21 game against rival, Cherry Creek.<\/p>\n

\"Arapahoe
Arapahoe High School students donned pink wings, pink shirts and fuzzy pink blankets during a special “Pink Out” game to support women coping with breast cancer. Photo by Cyrus McCrimmon, for UCHealth.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

As a spring snowstorm hit during the second half of the game, the Arapahoe players came up one goal short in a 7-to-8 loss against Cherry Creek, but their project was a huge hit.<\/p>\n

The stands were full of fans in pink hair, pink cowboy hats, pink parkas and pink fuzzy blankets. Above the stands, people donated $5 each to pose for silly selfies with a pink backdrop. (Fred\u2019s brother, Harry, 16, has been pitching in too. A budding photographer and an Eagle Scout, Harry helped create the selfie station and also took photos at his brother\u2019s game.)<\/p>\n

The Purpose4Pink crew has raised more than $5,000 for UCHealth cancer patients who can\u2019t afford cold capping or don\u2019t have insurance coverage that pays for the treatments. Deb received care at UCHealth University of Colorado Hospital<\/a> on the Anschutz Medical Campus in Aurora<\/a>. And Julie saw doctors at UCHealth Highlands Ranch Hospital<\/a>. Both women have gone through treatments at the UCHealth Cancer Center at Highlands Ranch<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\"Students
Students at Arapahoe High School cheered on the boys lacrosse team during a “Pink Out” game on April 21. Photo by Cyrus McCrimmon, for UCHealth.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Arapahoe lacrosse players: ‘We don’t fit the stereotype of people who would help breast cancer patients.’<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Fred and Noah have played lacrosse together since the first grade. They happen to live in the same Centennial neighborhood, and their backyards face one another. They\u2019ve always loved lacrosse, and both are looking forward to playing in college.<\/p>\n

The impact their project is having on their community has left them stunned and thrilled.<\/p>\n

\u201cNobody in our class has ever done something with cancer or a terminal illness. We\u2019re the first to do this,\u201d Fred said. \u201cOne of the reasons we\u2019ve had such success is that we\u2019re a group of lacrosse boys. We don\u2019t necessarily fit the stereotype of people who would try to help breast cancer patients. We\u2019ve caught people by surprise. Our cause has spread like wildfire. We\u2019ve had unbelievable support in the school.\u201d<\/p>\n

The boys started brainstorming about their project during first semester.<\/p>\n

\u201cThen Fred and I realized we both wanted to do something with breast cancer and we got Tommy and Thaddeus on board,\u201d Noah said.<\/p>\n

\"The
The Purpose4Pink leaders from the Arapahoe lacrosse team, from left to right: Fred Fulkerson, Noah Hilgert and Tommy Leonard. Not pictured: the fourth member of the Purpose4Pink team,Thaddeus Sharkey. Photo by Cyrus McCrimmon, for UCHealth.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u201cOne of the things lacrosse has taught me is that you can\u2019t do everything by yourself. You need to have the support of others. That\u2019s what has led us to success in lacrosse. And when you\u2019re having success, it\u2019s important to help other people, and it will always come full circle,\u201d Fred said.<\/p>\n

Noah was with his mom when she got the call from her doctor confirming she had breast cancer.<\/p>\n

\u201cSeeing her go through that, and helping her with the process, you realize that cancer affects a lot more than the person who has cancer,\u201d Noah said. \u201cBoth of our moms are very healthy people. It can happen to anyone. We\u2019re trying to raise awareness that you have to take advantage of every moment in life.\u201d<\/p>\n

The boys decided to focus on cold-capping so they could support breast cancer patients in a targeted, unique way.<\/p>\n

\u201cA big part of what we saw our moms going through was dealing with mental health and confidence,\u201d Noah said. \u201cGoing through chemotherapy, a lot of women lose their hair, and that can be part of losing mental health.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Dr.
Dr. Radhika Acharya. Photo: UCHealth.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

One of Julie\u2019s doctors is cancer specialist Dr. Radhika Acharya<\/a>. She\u2019s in awe of the young men.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s amazing that high school students are doing this. It\u2019s really sensitive of them to realize that the cold capping is about more than keeping your hair. It\u2019s about the whole person,\u201d said Acharya, who is also chief of oncology for the Highlands Ranch Cancer Center<\/a> and an assistant professor at the University of Colorado School of Medicine.<\/a><\/p>\n

\u201cWhen you lose your hair, you feel like cancer is your identity,\u201d Acharya said. \u201cThe DigniCap (the type of cold cap used at Highlands Ranch) affords women the freedom not to feel like a cancer patient and to be able to go to work and not answer a thousand questions.<\/p>\n

\u201cWomen can decide who they want to tell and when they want to tell,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s extraordinarily remarkable that these young men are so in tune with women to the extent that they would take on this project. It\u2019s a beautiful thing,\u201d Acharya said.<\/p>\n

Tough cold capping treatments helped patient keep all of her hair<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Like many people, Fred\u2019s mom, Julie, was catching up on health care appointments last year that she had missed earlier in the pandemic.<\/p>\n

That included getting a mammogram last May.<\/p>\n

A single mom of two, Julie felt fine before the procedure.<\/p>\n

\u201cI didn\u2019t have any inkling that anything was wrong,\u201d Julie said.<\/p>\n

But after the mammogram, her health care team asked her to come back for an ultrasound, then a challenging MRI.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat was a tough day for me. I\u2019m not claustrophobic, but you\u2019re face down and you can\u2019t move,\u201d Julie said.<\/p>\n

Julie was about to give up on the MRI when her technicians finished. She was relieved to be done with the procedure, but then had to face bad news.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey discovered two small Stage I lesions,\u201d Julie said.<\/p>\n

Her doctors recommended surgery first followed by chemotherapy.<\/p>\n

\u201cI had to have a mastectomy on the right side and decided to do both breasts,\u201d Julie said.<\/p>\n

\"Arapahoe
Arapahoe lacrosse team member and Purpose4Pink co-leader, Tommy Leonard, runs on the field during a special “Pink Out” game on April 21. Photo by Cyrus McCrimmon, for UCHealth.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

After surgery, as Julie discussed chemotherapy options with her team, she decided to do cold capping.<\/p>\n

\u201cI didn\u2019t want to look sick. I felt like if I saw myself in the mirror and looked sick, it would make me feel sicker,\u201d Julie said.<\/p>\n

\u201cAfter mastectomy, you feel a sense of loss. You have to grieve over that,\u201d Julie said. \u201cI felt like if I lost my hair too, I would lose my sense of self.\u201d<\/p>\n

A kind, compassionate infusion nurse named Monica Ferdig helped Julie navigate every single chemotherapy appointment for 12 weeks straight.<\/p>\n

On Wednesdays, Julie arrived at the cancer center, and Ferdig painstakingly tucked each piece of Julie\u2019s hair into the tight-fitting cap.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt was like a workout to get that cap on me properly, but she wanted it to be perfect,\u201d Julie said.<\/p>\n

\u201cMonica knew how important it was for me to keep my hair, as it would enable me to keep my cancer journey private,\u201d Julie said. \u201cShe helped me through everything and was such a good sounding board.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ferdig warns patients that cold capping is typically painful and challenging.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s a huge commitment for these patients,\u201d Ferdig said. \u201cWe have to put the cap on 30 minutes before the chemo starts. They wear it throughout, then it has to stay on for 90 minutes to three hours afterwards. It\u2019s very uncomfortable. We\u2019re freezing the scalp to cause vasoconstriction so the chemo doesn\u2019t penetrate the cells in the hair follicles.\u201d<\/p>\n

For patients who are motivated to do the extra work, cold capping can be a good option.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt can help people maintain a sense of normalcy in their everyday lives,\u201d said Ferdig.<\/p>\n

Julie was highly motivated and got a great outcome.<\/p>\n

\u201cDigniCap considers it a success if the patient keeps 50% of their hair. Julie\u2019s results were absolutely incredible,\u201d Ferdig said. \u201cShe had to do a lot of work at home and was very diligent on her part. She had some of the best results I\u2019ve ever seen.\u201d<\/p>\n

Each week when Julie returned for chemotherapy and still had hair on her head, the women high-fived one another.<\/p>\n

\"Monica
UCHealth cancer nurse, Monica Ferdig, left, attended the Arapahoe lacrosse team’s “Pink Out” game. Ferdig helped Julie Fulkerson, right, keep all of her hair during challenging chemotherapy treatments. Photo courtesy of Julie Fulkerson.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Ferdig has worked her entire nursing career \u2014 more than 22 years \u2014 as an oncology nurse. Ferdig\u2019s grandmother got sick with cancer when Ferdig was in high school. Ferdig helped care for her grandmother and decided to become a nurse so she could help other families coping with cancer.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s who I am. The patients are going through a very volatile time and have very little control,\u201d Ferdig said. \u201cI love making their day and their experience a little better.\u201d<\/p>\n

Julie\u2019s initial impulse was to keep her cancer journey private, but soon, she felt the love from her community and the parents from Fred\u2019s lacrosse team.<\/p>\n

\u201cWith the boys doing their project, we are surrounded by so much care, concern and thoughtfulness. We\u2019ve been through so much as Arapahoe parents. First, we had to deal with COVID and had to figure out how our kids were going to learn math remotely,\u201d Julie said.<\/p>\n

Then came breast cancer.<\/p>\n

\u201cOur group of parents stepped up so much. I had food and flowers and little gifts like PJs all wrapped in pretty pink bows left on my front porch,\u201d Julie said. \u201cAnd I received a ton of cards. The cards especially helped me get through everything. I loved reading the thoughtful words. They gave me such strength.\u201d<\/p>\n

So did her significant other, Dave Kavalec, who like Julie, is 50. Dave sat in on the majority of Julie\u2019s chemo treatments, carrying in the duffle bags packed with DigniCap equipment and extra blankets to keep her warm during cold capping. In addition to wearing the cooling cap, Julie also wore cold packs on her hands and feet to prevent neuropathy, which can be a side effect of certain chemo drugs. Dave was responsible for strapping on the cold socks and mitts and charging up the electric blanket.<\/p>\n

And her fellow lacrosse mom and neighbor, Deb, became an invaluable resource since she was a couple of months further along in her breast cancer treatments.<\/p>\n

\"Fred
Fred Fulkerson (in white) goes for a goal against Cherry Creek lacrosse players during a game on April 21. Photo by Cyrus McCrimmon, for UCHealth.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

As the Arapahoe lacrosse team became state champions, Deb Hilgert dealt with a difficult cancer diagnosis<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Deb received her breast cancer diagnosis last spring just as her son, Noah, and the Arapahoe team were on the verge of winning state championships.<\/p>\n

It was a time of both joy and fear.\u00a0 At first, Deb tried to downplay her struggle.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt was such an exciting time. We decided as a family that people didn\u2019t need to know,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

But Noah made it clear that his mom\u2019s cancer journey was on his mind.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe came home one day, got out some pink markers and drew pink breast cancer ribbons on his shoulder pads,\u201d Deb said.<\/p>\n

He wore the iconic breast cancer symbols under his jersey, but Deb was deeply touched that her son was willing to be vulnerable and courageous as a sign of his support for her.<\/p>\n

\"Noah
Noah Hilgert is one of the leaders of his Arapahoe lacrosse team and of the Purpose4Pink project to support women with breast cancer. Noah is currently injured, but hopes to be healed in time for playoffs in May. Photo by Cyrus McCrimmon, for UCHealth.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u201cNoah and Fred are at a tricky age. They feel like adults who can handle things, but they\u2019re kids too. And they\u2019re scared,\u201d Deb said. \u201cBreast cancer can be a tough subject. It\u2019s not something we\u2019re all comfortable talking about.\u201d<\/p>\n

As the boys\u2019 project evolved this year, Deb and Julie both had to follow in their sons\u2019 footsteps and open up more.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe boys showed courage in stepping up and integrating breast cancer into their classwork and also in lacrosse, which is their life,\u201d Deb said. \u201cThat is a powerful and bold statement. They wanted to feel heard and seen and wanted to support the community.\u201d<\/p>\n

Arapahoe lacrosse mom: ‘Get screened and advocate for yourself.’<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Deb went through a rough journey to get a proper diagnosis.<\/p>\n

She was at her salon doing a blow dry for a client when she started feeling terrible. She wondered if she had appendicitis. Her husband, Tim Hilgert, and their daughter, Karson, took her to the ER, where she learned she had a ruptured ovarian cyst that thankfully was not serious. The radiologist, however, also spotted a nodule at the base of her right breast and urged her to follow up.<\/p>\n

Deb had to wait a while for an appointment at a stand-alone breast imaging center.<\/p>\n

Afterwards, she received what she thought was good news.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt was clear. I was super excited,\u201d Deb said.<\/p>\n

Then, she looked over the report in her health records and discovered that the technicians had done an exam on the wrong breast.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt was for the left breast, not the right,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

The health workers who had made the error brought her back in for an ultrasound on the correct breast.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere was a tumor,\u201d Deb said.<\/p>\n

The initial misdiagnosis was terrible and taught Deb the necessity of advocating for yourself and carefully reviewing medical records.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s incredibly important for us to read our reports and understand them and to advocate for ourselves,\u201d Deb said. \u201cWe have choices when it comes to being screened and diagnosed. My tumor didn\u2019t show up on a mammogram. Had I not gotten an ultrasound, I wouldn\u2019t have known I had breast cancer. It\u2019s important to stay on top of your health.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Arapahoe
Arapahoe lacrosse team members cheer during their “Pink Out” game on April 21 against Cherry Creek High School. Photo by Cyrus McCrimmon, for UCHealth.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Deb, 49, soon started receiving care at the University of Colorado Cancer Center<\/a>, where she met an amazing breast cancer nurse navigator, Jane Jachowicz, who guided her through the difficult process.<\/p>\n

\u201cShe kept me grounded, sane and positive. She walked me through everything,\u201d Deb said of Jane.<\/p>\n

\"Jane
Jane Jachowicz is a breast cancer nurse navigator at the University of Colorado Cancer Center. She loves making life easier for patients who must cope with tough cancer diagnoses. Photo courtesy of Jane Jachowicz.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Deb had surgery to remove the cancerous tissue, then later went through reconstructive surgery and radiation, which proved more challenging than she expected.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe radiated tissue hardens and shrinks. The skin can burn and be sensitive for months. Fair-skinned people can have oozing,\u201d Deb said. \u201cJulie and I say this a lot: \u2018Breast cancer doesn\u2019t just go away. There are so many different layers for the patients and the family.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n

Jachowicz has been a nurse navigator on and off for 20 years and loves the work.<\/p>\n

\u201cI get the opportunity to totally change people\u2019s lives,\u201d Jachowicz said. \u201cThrough education, psychological support, resource support and just listening, you get to be part of someone\u2019s journey and help them see challenges in a positive light.\u201d<\/p>\n

Jachowicz has helped the young men with their Purpose4Pink project and expects their work to have countless ripple effects.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey have shown their moms that they love them. It\u2019s a sign of strength that they\u2019re doing this. They have weathered the storm,\u201d Jachowicz said. \u201cNot only are they able to celebrate their moms, but they\u2019re also giving back. That \u2014\u00a0and their moms\u2019 courage \u2014 are what make them outstanding.\u201d<\/p>\n

While Julie and Deb are far from done with their cancer ordeals, they\u2019re focusing on the positive and are staying busy supporting their families and the Arapahoe team.<\/p>\n

Deb bought her salon in 2019 just before the pandemic forced shutdowns. Right about the time that business was beginning to get back to normal, she got hit with her breast cancer diagnosis.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s been devastating, but now we get to rebuild,\u201d Deb said. \u201cI have an amazing team. They handled things for me when I couldn\u2019t be there. When bad things happen, you look around and see how many people care about you.\u201d<\/p>\n

Both women have learned to accept help from friends and strangers to say \u201cyes\u201d to their sons.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe boys are being really courageous,\u201d Deb said.<\/p>\n

Noah is headed to play lacrosse and study political science next year at Colorado Mesa University<\/a> in Grand Junction.<\/p>\n

Fred is eager to play lacrosse next year at Christopher Newport University<\/a> in Virginia.<\/p>\n

Along with being a talented lacrosse player, he is also a Daniels Fund Scholar<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re so proud of them. They\u2019re good boys,\u201d Julie said. \u201cThe Purpose4Pink project has brought us our silver lining. I love their enthusiasm. They\u2019re learning so much from this project. And I love that they talk openly about breast cancer as it only helps us all heal.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Wearing bright pink shirts to support breast cancer patients, an entire team of boys lacrosse players jogged into their stadium for a Friday night game and warmed up in formation. Above the stands and the green field, tears welled in the eyes of two moms as they watched the young men stretch and pump each […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2123,"featured_media":69715,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_relevanssi_hide_post":"","_relevanssi_hide_content":"","_relevanssi_pin_for_all":"","_relevanssi_pin_keywords":"","_relevanssi_unpin_keywords":"","_relevanssi_related_keywords":"","_relevanssi_related_include_ids":"","_relevanssi_related_exclude_ids":"","_relevanssi_related_no_append":"","_relevanssi_related_not_related":"","_relevanssi_related_posts":"","_relevanssi_noindex_reason":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[7],"tags":[6835,28,277],"class_list":["post-69706","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-stories","tag-breast-cancer-treatment","tag-cancer-care-oncology","tag-metro-denver"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nArapahoe boys lacrosse team helps women with breast cancer - UCHealth Today<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"The Arapahoe High School lacrosse team won state last year. 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