PSU students help cancer survivor's dream come true
Wednesday, November 2, 2016 2:00 AM
News
Pittsburg, KS
There were lots of laughs. Lots of smiles.
Becca Henderson was crying.
“I can’t help it,” she said. “I just feel so happy for Shelly.”
Shelly Mallams is a 16-year-old girl from Girard, and this week, she’s the newest member of the Pittsburg State Spirit Squad. She practiced with the team on Tuesday, Nov. 1, and will cheer with the team during the second quarter of the Nov. 5 home football game.
Cheering is nothing new to Shelly. After all, she’s a member of the varsity cheer squad at Girard High School. But this week’s experience is special. It’s special to her, to her parents, to the PSU cheerleaders and to everyone who knows Shelly.
And it’s especially meaningful to PSU’s Love Your Melon group, which supports children with cancer.
“I was put in contact with Shelly's mom, who told me lots of things about what Shelly loved to do,” said Jordan Morrison, president of PSU’s Love Your Melon Crew. “She told me about how she loved cheerleading at her high school but was unable to stunt and things because of her chemo port.”
Nearly two years ago, doctors found a half-pound tumor on Shelly’s lung. It was connected to her spinal cord, and it was malignant. After having the tumor removed, Shelly went through more than 30 rounds of radiation at St. Louis Children’s Hospital. Then it was seven cycles of chemotherapy. Shelly, 14 at the time, lost all of her hair.
“At their age, when they lose their hair, it almost feels like the end of the world,” said Shelly’s mother Melanie Wells
But it was not the end. Not by a long shot.
Shelly is now in her third month of remission. Beneath the wig she still wears, her natural hair is growing back. She’s feeling better, and it shows.
“She is fighting stronger every day and proving how strong she is,” Wells said. “I am so proud of the young woman that she's turning into.”
This Saturday at the PSU football game, she’s ready to show just how strong she is.
“I’ve always loved cheering,” soft-spoken Shelly said at Tuesday’s practice with the Spirit Squad. “I like that feeling of supporting the team."
Shelly’s chance to cheer with the PSU squad came about when Morrison and the Love Your Melon crew heard about her story and reached out to see how they could help.
“Shelly had just had her port removed when we talked with Melanie, and so I reached out to PSU Spirit Squad Coach Linda Graham who was on board with having Shelly cheer with them at a practice and game,” Morrison said.
Melanie loved the idea.
“Love Your Melon has definitely touched us,” Wells said. “This is an amazing experience for Shelly, and I greatly appreciate all the hard work and dedication Pittsburg State’s is putting into helping children with cancer. Letting Shelly be involved with this is incredible, and we are very proud and happy that she gets to do this.”
For the PSU cheerleaders, the experience with Shelly has been uplifting and inspiring.
“Working with Shelly has been amazing,” said Spirit Squad member Jayna Guerra. “She is such a sweet girl. Although she was at first reluctant to try some new stunts, you could tell that she was having a fun time. She's such a fast learner and caught on very quickly to everything the team taught her.
“I'm thankful to be a part of such a big day for her,” Guerra said. “I love being able to get the chance to help put a smile on her face. I know that when I was a little girl I was always amazed with what others were doing and but she had amazed me with how strong and talented she was. I think it's more of a tradeoff. We helped her fulfill her dream, but being able to make her happy is mine.”
At Tuesday’s practice, Henderson watched in awe as the Spirit Squad members lifted Shelly into the air. The LYM vice president watched Shelly learn the PSU cheers. She watched as all eyes were on Shelly. She watched Shelly’s face light up with joy.
And she kept repeating herself.
Tears running down her cheeks.
“I just feel so happy for Shelly.”
