Local students and young cancer survivors to be honored by OSU Coaches vs. Cancer Campaign

Wednesday, February 27, 2008

(February 27, 2008   Stillwater, Okla.) – Local students and young cancer survivors Beau Gaston, Jefferson Cook, Becca Gentry and Morgan Thompson will be honored at the Oklahoma State University men’s basketball game against Nebraska on Saturday, March 1, at 12:45 p.m. These students will be recognized in conjunction with the annual Coaches vs. Cancer SWISH! Night event also scheduled for Saturday, sponsored by OSU and the American Cancer Society’s Coaches vs. Cancer campaign.
 
The four young cancer survivors will be recognized prior to the start of the basketball game. Thanks to sponsors Chad Clay of Complete Environmental Products, and Express Personnel Services, the students and their families will then enjoy the basketball game from the arena suites. During the SWISH! Night halftime event, Dave Hunziker, the Voice of the Cowboys and OSU Coaches vs. Cancer spokesman, will address game attendees and the four honorees will participate in a one-minute basketball shootout. The kids will be assisted by former Cowboys Bryndon Manzer, Andre Williams, and Daniel Bobik. Each basket made will be added to the OSU men’s team 3-Point Attack total at the end of the season, resulting in additional dollars raised for the American Cancer Society’s Coaches vs. Cancer program.  
 
Beau Gaston is seven years old and a first grade student at Marquette Catholic School in Tulsa. He is the son of Robert and Tracy Gaston and has one sister, Emily. Beau was diagnosed with Acute Myelogenous Leukemia (AML) in February 2007, at the age of six. After five rounds of chemo, countless tests, and hospital visits too numerous to count, Beau is doing extremely well. Beau's doctors are using words such as "amazing," "remarkable" and "awesome" as they talk about Beau. Just like any other first grader – Beau loves sports, his friends, and playing the Wii. He wants to play baseball at OSU when he grows up.
 
Jefferson Cook is eight years old and in the second grade.  He is the son of David and Jan Cook of Cleveland, Okla.  He has two brothers Clint and Ben Dillard who both currently attend OSU. Jefferson was diagnosed with ALL (Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia) October 4, 2006; 17 days before his seventh birthday.  He will continue treatments until December of 2009 at the Pediatric Oncology Clinic at Saint Francis Hospital in Tulsa.  Jefferson has been an inspiration to the entire family. He keeps them going with his positive outlook and sense of humor.  With this hurdle in his life, he continues to amaze others with his compassion for others and he lives every day to the fullest.  He enjoys baseball, golf, soccer, fishing, hunting and basketball.
 
Becca Gentry, of Oklahoma City, is four years old and the only child of Randy and Susan Gentry. On July 5, 2007, she was diagnosed with RMS, a muscular cancer. This particular cancer is diagnosed to 300 kids each year, in the world, only 25 of them being high-risk like Becca. When it was first noticed, the doctors saw three tumors, spots on her pancreas, and cancer in the bones. Becca started her treatments immediately after diagnosis and has already completed six weeks of radiation and 23 sets of chemotherapy. The tumors on her spine temporarily paralyzed her, but Becca is quickly on the road to recovery.  She's still not able to walk more than a few yards at a time, but progress is progress! Becca loves to dress up, play with Barbie and baby dolls, is big on artwork, enjoys watching Discovery Health (aka. the “Owie Channel”), loves to drive her car and play with her matchbox cars.
 
Morgan Thompson is eight years old and in the second grade at Southgate/Rippetoe Elementary School in Moore, Okla.. She is the daughter of Angela Thompson and has two brothers, Dillan and Marc Jr. Morgan was diagnosed with a malignant brain tumor in December of 2001, which caused her to lose her vision. She has endured three brain surgeries, two gamma knife surgeries, 12 weeks of radiation, and 19 rounds of IV chemo and 10 rounds of oral chemo. She is currently receiving oral chemotherapy that has stabilized her tumors. She loves to sing, listen to music, read and write stories, and talk on the phone. Morgan has won many awards for her writing and she wants to be a singer/songwriter when she grows up. Morgan loves O.S.U. and plans to attend college here and become a cheerleader. She would also like to teach children how to read Braille.
 
These four students are being honored as a part of the OSU Coaches vs. Cancer SWISH! Night festivities. The team met them recently during visits to treatment hospitals and facilities. The Coaches vs. Cancer program was created in 1993 by the American Cancer Society and the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC). The program exists to leverage the strength, community leadership and celebrity of our country’s basketball coaches to fight cancer. Dollars raised benefit the American Cancer Society and help to fund research, advocacy, education, and patient services programs.  
 
To support the OSU Coaches vs. Cancer campaign, pledge online at www.osucoachesvscancer.com . You can also contact Kendria Cost at kendria.cost@okstate.edu or 405.744.5351.
 
The American Cancer Society is the nationwide community-based voluntary health organization dedicated to eliminating cancer as a major health problem by preventing cancer, saving lives, and diminishing suffering from cancer, through research, education, advocacy, and service.  For more information about American Cancer Society programs and services, call 1-800-ACS-2345 or visit www.cancer.org .