September is Pediatric Cancer Awareness Month. Alex Yang from First Tee – Coachella Valley shared his story of how the chapter has supported him through his diagnosis and treatment of T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia.
“I joined First Tee about 3 years ago, right after the COVID-19 pandemic. I played soccer for nine years and never played golf before, but I wanted to try a new sport outside of my comfort zone. As soon as I joined the program, I immediately fell in love with it. Before joining First Tee, I assumed it was just about learning golf and nothing else. I had no idea about the incredible life lessons they taught or the value of them. As a beginner golfer, I was very nervous and anxious about my lack of golf knowledge and was unsure how I would fit in. However, the environment at First Tee – Coachella Valley was astonishing.
It was a place where everybody was welcome, regardless of their background or skill level. All of the coaches and other participants were extremely supportive and encouraging to each other. As we learned about skills to use both on and off the course, it opened my eyes to how golf is more than just the sport. The lessons I learned through the core values and other curriculums helped me grow as a person and became a part of my identity.
As I continued with First Tee, I participated in many of their programs besides just their teen group classes such as the Divots and Diversity class, Evans Scholar Caddie Program, PGA TOUR Superstore Leadership Class, standard bearing at the American Express, giving speeches at First Tee events, and even being selected to go to the PGATSS Leadership Academy in Atlanta in 2023. Throughout all of these experiences, I was exposed to remarkable people as well as countless opportunities. This helped me to build my own self confidence and learn how to pursue the goals that I set for myself. As I expanded my horizons, I looked towards the many national opportunities that First Tee provides over the summer. Unfortunately, there were unexpected developments that prevented me from participating.
Starting in October of 2023, I noticed some signs that something was out of the ordinary. I experienced extreme fatigue, which caused me to fall asleep in almost every single one of my classes each day, even with eight to nine hours of sleep a day. I had just assumed that schoolwork and my activities were taking a toll on me. In December and January, I got sick very easily and multiple times in a short period of time. Starting in February, I developed a cough that I believed was a seasonal cold. As the coughing got worse, I took three trips to urgent cares, which only provided antibiotics and inhalers as they believed it was just bronchitis or a common cold. My mother requested a chest X-ray each time but was turned down all three times. As the condition worsened, I started to have difficulty breathing. This was when my mother rushed me to the ER on March 1, 2024.
The doctors there immediately noticed my right lung sounded diminished and ordered a chest X-ray. They were surprised that none of the urgent care doctors offered an X-ray to us. The results from the X-ray showed that my right lung collapsed due to excessive amounts of fluid. They immediately took me to the procedure room and drained two liters of fluid. I was then admitted to the hospital for further monitoring of my condition, which at the time they assumed was pneumonia. The doctors scheduled a surgery to drain the rest of the fluid as well as install a chest tube. The night before the surgery, the doctors changed the preliminary scan from an X-ray to a CT scan. With this scan, they found a 12 cm mediastinal mass on top of my heart which was blocking my airways. During the surgery they installed a chest tube and took a biopsy of the mass. A few days later, the results came back which showed that it was positive for blood cancer.
I began chemotherapy treatment to start eliminating the mass. We stayed in the Loma Linda area for six weeks before finally returning home. Once we returned home, we spent the rest of our time going back and forth to the clinic with occasional hospitalizations. I was never aware of the severe side effects that come with chemotherapy and how scary they can be.
As my doctor went over my treatment plan, she recommended that I take a year off of school because of the countless side effects and intensive treatment. However, I did not want to postpone my education and fall behind in my goal of becoming an engineer. I finished my 10th grade year through the online Home and Hospital program. Throughout the summer, I continued my education by completing an online class through my local community college as well as homework for the next year. Although things were extremely tough and painful, I did not want to give up and pushed myself to reach my goals.
Although treatment has not concluded yet, I cannot wait to return to First Tee and continue my journey with them. First Tee – Coachella Valley has continuously reached out to me and checked up on my condition. They try to help me in any way that they can, even starting a lemonade stand to raise funds for my treatments. Without the immense support that I received from coaches and fellow participants, it would’ve been a much harder journey. I had never realized how much support from loved ones and a strong community could make such an impact. It gave me the strength to push through the hardest times of my life.
Going through all of this, I have learned the importance of having a strong and supportive community with people to help you. This is truly one of the most precious gifts that you could ever have. First Tee has created a community unlike any other, and I am honored to be a part of it. Once I am able to, I hope to return the kindness and hope that I have been given back to my community and help others who are going through their own struggles. I am so thankful for everything I learned and have received from First Tee.”
