Battle beyond the lines: Northside Methodist’s Snell shares story of perseverance

Justin Snell took the hanging baseball uniform from his room and was off to school Monday morning.

It was a telling sign he was going through with the interview request.

Snell had swayed back-and-forth since Saturday afternoon on whether to share his story of perseverance in dealing with Hodgkin’s lymphoma — a form of cancer he first encountered as a 12-year-old.

Two days after helping Northside Methodist Academy win its fourth straight baseball title, the tournament’s Most Valuable Player was ready to suit up in his uniform for a photo and share a story he normally keeps private.

“I just don’t want to make it a problem to other people — making them worry when it’s my problem,” Snell said.

Such is a predicted response from Snell, a somewhat quiet person by nature who’d just as soon avoid any attention.

“He handles it probably a lot different than I do,” said his mother, Brenda Snell.

“He’s very reserved.  I don’t know if he doesn’t want the attention, or if he thinks if he doesn’t talk about it, it doesn’t exist.”

But the 17-year-old athlete understands well the ongoing battle — and frustration — that dealing with cancer can bring.

“The first thought is am I going to make it,” Justin said of being told five years ago.

Though appearing to be in the clear for several years, the check-ups continue. With a gland below his right ear once again swollen, Snell will have another biopsy done as a precaution in early June.

“We thought we were going to be through with it, but he had chemo and radiation and five years later we’re still going through this,” Brenda said. “Why is it not gone?”

Discovering the problem
It all began in October of 2003 when an enlarged lymph node was noticed under his right ear.

“We kept an eye on it,” his mother said. “Several doctors checked it and didn’t think it was anything to worry about.”

It didn’t go away.

In June of 2004, a biopsy was taken from the swollen gland. The results came back as a cancer of the lymphatic system, which is part of your immune system.

“When I got the call from the doctor, it blew me away,” Brenda said.

“I had never dreamed it would be cancer. I don’t know at 12 how you deal with it.”

One of the first calls Brenda made was to the church her family attends — Grimes United Methodist Church. A prayer service was quickly arranged for Justin.

“Justin did not want to go,” Brenda said. “He does not want attention. I said, ‘You don’t have to go, I’ll go for you.’ When I turned the corner going to the church, I was overwhelmed at the cars in the parking lot.

“I’ll tell you the thing that has got us through this is prayer. Nothing but prayer, and our family, friends and church.”

While Justin didn’t attend that night, he felt the love and support from those in his corner.

“That relieved a lot of pressure knowing I wasn’t going through that alone,” he said.

According to the definition of Hodgkin’s disease on the Mayo Clinic Web site, as the cancer progresses it compromises your body’s ability to fight infection. It was one of the first cancers which could be cured using radiation therapy and, later, it was one of the first to be cured by combination chemotherapy.

The survival rate is generally 90 percent or higher when the disease is detected during early stages.

Snell went through chemotherapy for two months, and then had 10 radiation treatments, finishing in November of 2004.

“The hardest thing was watching him be so afraid,” his mother said. “He is claustrophobic (afraid of enclosed spaces), and we found that out by doing all these tests. A lot of these tests are closed in when they do radiation.”

Snell, at the time a student at South Dale Middle School, was more worried about losing his hair through the treatments.

“I was worried a lot,” he said. “What are the kids going to think?”

Remarkably, Snell’s hair only thinned out a bit during the process.

A change
Early in his sophomore year at Dale County High School, Justin felt a tugging in his heart to go to Northside Methodist Academy.

A championship ring on the finger of Northside baseball player Mark Phillips didn’t hurt, either.

“It was blue and it was humongous,” Snell said.

Brenda and her husband began considering sending Justin to the Dothan private school.

“He kept saying about wanting to go to Northside Methodist,” Brenda said. “He was becoming withdrawn (at school). He begged me. I didn’t know how we were going to afford it. We had two kids in college.”

But they made it happen.

“I just had this feeling it was God’s calling,” Justin said. “I was just wanting a change. I just kept thinking it was meant to be.”

Snell left Dale County that fall and enrolled at Northside Methodist.

“Justin has been a different child,” Brenda said. “He’s happier. I would suspect 90 percent of school has no idea he had cancer.”

It was on the baseball field where he began really feeling at home.

“It let me meet people,” Snell said.

Sports keeps his mind clear from worry.

“Right now I’m fine with it,” Snell said of the upcoming biopsy. “All these sports going on. I have soccer tryouts starting Monday. It helps having sports take your mind off things.”

Since being first diagnosed, Snell has kept regular appointments in Birmingham to be checked for any possible signs of reoccurrence.

In many ways, he comes away from the check-ups feeling more blessed.

“There are people going through a lot worse than me,” Justin said. “To see them really helps me to be thankful to be able to play sports. You know the saying: ‘Don’t take life for granted — live it to the fullest.’ I’ve found out you have to do that.”

Justin said he’s become stronger in his faith in Christ.

“Without Him, there would be no hope,” Justin said.

Sharing his story
As Justin learned more about Hodgkin’s lymphoma, he read about a baseball pitcher for the Boston Red Sox, Jon Lester, who had battled the disease.

Lester was diagnosed with the cancer in late August of 2006 and went through off-season chemotherapy. In December of that year, tests showed no signs of the disease, which appears to be in remission.

Justin believes reading Lester’s story has helped during his battle.

“He was going through the same stuff,” Justin said. “And I read about him coming back and pitching a no-hitter (last year against Kansas City).”

Justin hopes sharing his story may help others who are dealing with cancer.

His baseball coach at NMA, Sam Cochran, and Bible teacher, Patti Motta, encouraged him to follow through.

Cochran is a two-time bone marrow donor to cancer patients — first in 1990 for an 18-year-old California man, and the second in 1996 for an 1-year-old Canadian baby.

Snell said he first learned Sunday night about Cochran being a donor.

“Hearing coach Sam telling his story made me feel like I should do this,” Snell said.

On Monday, he went to his Bible teacher for more guidance.

“Just knowing I can talk to her about this situation relieved a lot of stress,” he said.

“Telling the story may bring someone hope with anything they’re struggling with.”

A big weekend
Snell was called in to pitch in the seventh inning on Saturday with NMA holding to a 8-3 lead against Tabernacle Christian in the ACEAA championship game in Tuscaloosa. Runners were on second and third with nobody out.

The fans from Tabernacle were trying to rattle him — yelling that he looked nervous.

Snell smiled back at them, and went to work.

“I like that challenge,” Snell said. “I know what I’m made of. I knew going into the weekend I had a job to do.”

Snell, also a first baseman, had certainly done the job at the plate in driving in the final two NMA runs of the game, and six for the two-game championship series.

He then turned his attention to pitching, and struck out the first batter he faced.

After a single drove in two runs to cut the lead to 8-5, Snell got another strikeout, and then a grounder was fielded by second baseman Chris Colby, who threw on to first to end the game.

“It’s really indescribable,” Snell said of the feeling once the game ended. “It showed what we’re made of.”

Just like telling his story showed a strong side of Justin Snell.