A year ago, he was fighting for his life.
Diagnosed last February with stage 3 Non-Hodgkin lymphoma (cancer in the lymphatic/immune system), Cochrane High School Cobras two-sport star Brock Wiebe began the first of five chemotherapy treatments.
Yesterday (March 11), the 17-year-old and his Cobras teammates delivered their “Tackle Cancer” fundraising cheque for $1,625 to Kids Cancer Care.
What a difference a year makes.
“Oh, yeah,” says Wiebe between drills at Cobras varsity boy’s March 9 basketball practice. “It’s been an interesting year. It feels a lot better than it did last year. It’s been a lot of work to get where I am now.”
Waging an intense, five-month war with the disease, Wiebe took treatment at Alberta Children’s Hospital in Calgary. He was the cancer ward’s poster child for determination. On a sleeve, covering the arm in which intravenous cancer-fighting drugs entered his body, was written: “I am too positive to be doubtful. Too optimistic to be fearful. Too determined to be defeated.“
Throughout treatment he worked out at the school weight room, preparing for football season. He lost his sand-coloured locks to the ravages of chemotherapy. But lost very little, if any, weight.
At the time, Cobras football coach Rob McNab marvelled: “I tell you, I’ve never seen a kid fight like that. He is unbelievable.
“He’s an inspiration.”
Wiebe returned to the football field in June, bald as a cue ball, competing on the offensive line (centre) for his Cobras at the Holy Trinity Academy Knights spring football jamboree in Okotoks. McNab was going to hold him out of the jamboree. Having Wiebe dressed on the sidelines was all the coach expected.
Wiebe expected more and convinced McNab to play him for several offensive sequences, where he planted his helmet into everything that moved. Brock Wiebe was back.
By November, the 6-foot, 220-pound lineman was clutching the Alberta Schools’ Athletic Association high school Tier 3 varsity provincial football championship banner alongside coaches and teammates.
“I worked out all summer to get ready for football. Then we won provincials, which was nice,” Wiebe relates. “Now into basketball, which is going quite well.”
Most recently, Wiebe and his Cobras teammates won silver at the Rocky View Sports Association varsity boy’s basketball division final in Chestermere on March 7. Cobras advanced to ASAA South Central Zone playdowns and are shooting for a 3A high school varsity boy’s provincial basketball berth.
A year ago Brock Wiebe began his battle against cancer. Last week’s checkup showed the disease was in full remission – a tousled, blond mop on his head signifying business as usual.
“Having the team was really important,” he surmises of his experience. “It was a mental break. They guys always treated me the same. They always have and always will. It helped a lot. Everything is working out well now.”
