Gresho Murford
9/30/2009, 01:55 PM
It would be great if as many people could attend as possible
http://oudaily.com/news/2009/sep/30/volleyball-team-honor-coachs-son/
Javier Restrepo wanted to be like all the other boys.
He wanted to play baseball, basketball, soccer and football. He wanted to go to the beach and do all the other things boys do.
But Javier, or Javi, as he was affectionately known, had something the other boys didn’t: acute lymphoblastic leukemia.
He couldn’t play sports, play outside much or go on vacation. Instead, he spent a lot of time in a hospital bed.
The son of OU volleyball coach Santiago Restrepo suffered from a type of cancer that attacks the body’s white blood cells and keeps the abnormal cells unable to fight illness, leaving his young immune system vulnerable to infection.
He was diagnosed when he was a year-and-a-half old and underwent intense chemotherapy, sending the leukemia into remission. But when the cancer returned, he needed a bone marrow transplant and a liver transplant to repair the damage the leukemia and chemo had done to his immune system.
“It only takes one bad cell to get it going again,” Restrepo said. “And it did.”
When Javi’s cancer returned once more, the Restrepos were told he would not have much time left.
So the OU athletic department reached out to Javi and the Restrepos to help him be just a happy little boy, doing some of those things he wanted to do.
Football coach Bob Stoops sent the family out to his condo on the beach so Javi could spend a day playing in the sand and the ocean.
When they got back, Javi got to tour the university facilities and hang out with coaches, student-athletes, cheerleaders and mascots. He got to have a taste of something many only dream about.
“Everyone made themselves available to help him out and to make it memorable,” Restrepo said.
Women’s basketball coach Sherri Coale paid for the Restrepos to have a professional photography and video session that would capture Javi and his family in precious moments of happiness together.
“To see how they have gone out of their way to go above and beyond to make these things happen, for that I’m grateful for what they have done for our family,” Restrepo said.
Javi lost his three-year battle against the leukemia on July 31, at age 4-and-a-half.
Volleyball season started up again a little over a week later. The volleyball staff and players did everything they could to make things easier on coach Restrepo.
“Their support says how much they are a part of our family,” Restrepo said.
Because of the support they received from everyone around them, Restrepo wants to start a foundation to help families with similar needs.
“We’re very lucky that we have people around us to help us out,” Restrepo said. “But we’re trying to find a way to help those families that are less fortunate and are going through the same situation—when you know it’s going to be the last chance to be with your sons or daughters—what kind of memorable moment can we give them.”
At tonight’s game against No. 10 Nebraska, the university will raise donations for research to find a cure for leukemia at the Children’s Hospital of the OU Medical Center.
The evening will be dedicated to Javi’s life and his memory.
“We’re hoping that as many people as possible will come to the game to support this cause and to realize that my son was very courageous, fought for his life to the last minute and had a great smile,” Restrepo
http://oudaily.com/news/2009/sep/30/volleyball-team-honor-coachs-son/
Javier Restrepo wanted to be like all the other boys.
He wanted to play baseball, basketball, soccer and football. He wanted to go to the beach and do all the other things boys do.
But Javier, or Javi, as he was affectionately known, had something the other boys didn’t: acute lymphoblastic leukemia.
He couldn’t play sports, play outside much or go on vacation. Instead, he spent a lot of time in a hospital bed.
The son of OU volleyball coach Santiago Restrepo suffered from a type of cancer that attacks the body’s white blood cells and keeps the abnormal cells unable to fight illness, leaving his young immune system vulnerable to infection.
He was diagnosed when he was a year-and-a-half old and underwent intense chemotherapy, sending the leukemia into remission. But when the cancer returned, he needed a bone marrow transplant and a liver transplant to repair the damage the leukemia and chemo had done to his immune system.
“It only takes one bad cell to get it going again,” Restrepo said. “And it did.”
When Javi’s cancer returned once more, the Restrepos were told he would not have much time left.
So the OU athletic department reached out to Javi and the Restrepos to help him be just a happy little boy, doing some of those things he wanted to do.
Football coach Bob Stoops sent the family out to his condo on the beach so Javi could spend a day playing in the sand and the ocean.
When they got back, Javi got to tour the university facilities and hang out with coaches, student-athletes, cheerleaders and mascots. He got to have a taste of something many only dream about.
“Everyone made themselves available to help him out and to make it memorable,” Restrepo said.
Women’s basketball coach Sherri Coale paid for the Restrepos to have a professional photography and video session that would capture Javi and his family in precious moments of happiness together.
“To see how they have gone out of their way to go above and beyond to make these things happen, for that I’m grateful for what they have done for our family,” Restrepo said.
Javi lost his three-year battle against the leukemia on July 31, at age 4-and-a-half.
Volleyball season started up again a little over a week later. The volleyball staff and players did everything they could to make things easier on coach Restrepo.
“Their support says how much they are a part of our family,” Restrepo said.
Because of the support they received from everyone around them, Restrepo wants to start a foundation to help families with similar needs.
“We’re very lucky that we have people around us to help us out,” Restrepo said. “But we’re trying to find a way to help those families that are less fortunate and are going through the same situation—when you know it’s going to be the last chance to be with your sons or daughters—what kind of memorable moment can we give them.”
At tonight’s game against No. 10 Nebraska, the university will raise donations for research to find a cure for leukemia at the Children’s Hospital of the OU Medical Center.
The evening will be dedicated to Javi’s life and his memory.
“We’re hoping that as many people as possible will come to the game to support this cause and to realize that my son was very courageous, fought for his life to the last minute and had a great smile,” Restrepo