“I am too positive to be doubtful. Too optimistic to be fearful. Too determined to be defeated.”
With that uncompromising resolve, Cochrane High School Cobras multi-sport athlete Brock Wiebe is fighting cancer. He wears that saying on his sleeve as a constant reminder of his medical combat against the silent, relentless illness.
The 16-year-old Cochranite was diagnosed with stage 3 Hodgkin’s lymphoma and is pounding his way through the gruelling chemotherapy/anti-nausea drug treatment process he began in February. From the outset of the diagnosis, the football/basketball/track athlete has come out swinging, and hasn’t stopped.
It’s working.
“We’re very positive with what’s happening with Brock,” said dad, Peter Wiebe. “He’s responded very well to the treatment. His health has been holding up very well. He’s actually put on some weight.
“They call him the poster child at the hospital. It’s obviously having a very positive effect on his parents.”
Brock has been attending school between treatments at Alberta Children’s Hospital in Calgary. Nearing the end of his fourth round of treatment, Brock has done so well his family has to decide on going for a fifth round or taking a break.
“This is a very good decision to have to make,” said Peter Wiebe. “The results are very encouraging.”
Brock has been working out in the school gym with an eye to taking part in all the football team’s training activities this spring. He has told Cobras co-head coach and offensive coordinator Rob McNab to make sure the team is ready for the player’s return.
McNab chuckled when quizzed about Wiebe’s tenacity, and shared this nugget: “We had a kid miss a workout one day because he wasn’t feeling well. He’s on our football team. I won’t give you a name. I said to him: ‘So you weren’t feeling well. Brock was here. How bad were you feeling?’
“He hasn’t missed since.”
To say Brock Wiebe’s presence is encouraging for students, teachers and administrators at the school is understating the obvious.
“I tell you, I’ve never seen a kid fight like that. He is unbelievable,” McNab related. “I’ve set up workouts for him. If he can be at the school, he’s working out in the gym. He hasn’t lost any weight. He says he feels great.
“He’s an inspiration.”
All anecdotes and kidding aside, McNab was quick to point out the seriousness of Brock Wiebe’s medical situation.
“Any time you get a kid stricken with an illness that’s out of his control and they get sick, and you see their whole life ahead of them, it’s very concerning.”
But Wiebe is beating back that illness, and the concern of those around him because he’s too positive to be doubtful. Too optimistic to be fearful. Too determined to be defeated.
