Est. 1879
'Never never never give up' C team basketball player moved up to varsity for a game in honor of her terminally ill father By Mallory Thompson Sophomore Harley Phelps stood at the free throw line during the varsity basketball game against rival Free State on Feb. 24. For one game, Phelps had been moved up from C team to varsity. Trying to ensure she would make the next two shots, all she could think about was her form. But outside the walls of the gym, this 15-year-old had many other things to be thinking about.
Cancer strikes On Jan. 18, Harley’s father, Paul Phelps, was
diagnosed with a glioblastoma, stage four brain cancer. This type of cancerous tumor is most common after 50 years of age. Only about one in four patients survive two years. “There’s no cure — it’s incurable,” Harley said. The family first became concerned for Paul’s health when he started suffering from headaches. After a few weeks, his wife, Christina Phelps, urged him to go to the doctor. The next 10 days were filled with tests and procedures, including a CAT scan and biopsy. Harley remembers walking
Lawrence High School, 1901 Louisiana St., Lawrence, KS 66046
into school the 18th with a sinking feeling, knowing they would have biopsy results that night. “I knew it was going to be bad,” Harley said. “I had a feeling, I knew the whole day.” That night after basketball practice, Harley and her family sat down at the table and her father told them the news: He had stage four brain cancer. There wasn’t much the doctors could do about it. “I know that sounds like a bad way to tell someone, but I think that was best,” Harley said. “It wasn’t sugar-coated or anything. It was just
Sophomore Harley Phelps shoots a free throw Feb. 24. "There was a lot going through my mind," she said. Photo by Grace Rinkie
exactly what it was.” It took Harley a couple minutes to process what he had just said. After a few questions, everyone was crying. “It was just hard,” she said. “But I would say there’s probably going to be two hardest parts to this: when you find out and when he dies.” Continued on page 2 Vol. 122, Issue 8, March 7, 2012