Coaches vs. Cancer Has Special Meaning For Queens' Stein
Jan. 26, 2009
CHARLOTTE, N.C. - The American Cancer Society estimated that in 2008, 8,090 men would be diagnosed with testicular cancer. Of those men, one would be Queens University of Charlotte men's basketball assistant coach Josh Stein. At 35 years old, Stein was facing cancer head on.
"I woke up April 24th, 2008, with pain in my groin area," said Stein. "I immediately called a doctor because the pain was something I had never experienced before. After a couple of tests, which took about two weeks to get the results, I was diagnosed with testicular cancer on May 9th, 2008."
Fortunately for Stein, testicular cancer is one cancer that is one of the most curable types. "Right away I was optimistic because my doctor told me that it was caught at a very early stage and had not spread throughout my body. Therefore, it was going to be a lot easier to treat than if there were multiple tumors."
During their lifetime, men have a one in 300 chance of being diagnosed with testicular cancer. The disease can impact men of any age, but nine out of 10 diagnosed are between the ages of 20 and 54. Testicular cancer is not likely to run in families, and Stein had no family history of testicular cancer.
"Because of the type of tumor that was discovered, it became necessary to undergo chemotherapy treatments starting in September of 2008," recalled Stein. "Even though the doctor and all the nurses were very helpful, I was still nervous about starting the treatment. Once the treatments began, my main focus was trying to keep a positive attitude and get through it as best as I could. For someone who has been physically active for the majority of my life, it was hard to have no energy and be physically and mentally drained all the time."
During all of the treatments, Stein was in the midst of preparing the Royals men's basketball team for the upcoming season.
"Coach Stein's attitude and approach towards dealing with his illness has been a great example for our young men to observe," said Head Coach Wes Long. "Other than a few signs of fatigue during treatment, on most days you would not know that Josh has cancer. He has carried on with his everyday life with nearly complete normalcy, just like thousands of cancer fighters and survivors do each day."
Stein decided to make the team aware of his battle one day in September after a conditioning work out, and after he had gone through one round of chemotherapy treatment,
"The reaction was very positive and the players and staff were all very supportive throughout the whole treatment process. I was flattered by the support of not just our team, but of the whole athletic department. Our Director of Athletics, Jeannie King, took time out of her busy schedule to sit with me through one of the treatments, which meant a lot to me and my family."
"During his entire experience, Josh has been focused on staying positive," said King. "I was able to go with him during one of his treatments and see a little bit more closely what he is going through. His dedication to keeping a positive outlook and attitude during this time is a great lesson not only for the team, but all of us."
Stein has now finished treatment and will need to get tested on regular basis to make sure the cancer does not return, "I feel a responsibility to educate as many young men as possible on this disease. Like anything else, the most important thing in my situation was the early detection which made it much easier to control the cancer."
"I have always believed that someone's true character comes out during times when things don't go your way, and Coach Stein has shown a tremendous spirit and dedication to not only doing the necessary things to treat his cancer, but to living a normal life during the process," said Long. "We talk about going through the ups and downs in life with our young men all the time. There will be good and prosperous times, and there will be times when you don't know how to take your next step. Coach Stein's everyday attitude has been a shining example to our kids of how to handle yourself with grace during a tough circumstance."
(story courtesy of Sarah Waple, Queens University of Charlotte Director of Sports Information and Event Management)
