From Barely Surviving, to Really Thriving

LOS ANGELES, Calif. (Apr. 7, 2009) – On Sat. Feb. 14 sophomore Tasha Serna-Gallegos pulled on her black and orange Occidental College softball uniform for the first time in her collegiate career. Unlike most first year student-athletes, today was special for the second baseman in so many ways, since the story of her life is anything but ordinary. As a young teenager she faced cancer. A once active, athletic young student was forced to battle for her life, undergoing nearly three and a half years of treatment. Today, five plus years later, she is cancer-free and playing the sport she loves at the collegiate level.

Not only was that day her first start at second base for the Tigers, it was a new beginning.

It was mid-October 2003 when Serna-Gallegos began questioning her health. When she was unable to lift her arms above her head, her doctors credited it to her being a setter on the volleyball team. When it was seemingly shin-splints, they thought it was nothing more than a growth spurt. But in the weeks following those minor pains she began to run an abnormally high fever of 103-104 degrees. In addition, her level of energy plummeted and she was tired all the time. Having tested negative for mono, her doctors decided to perform a marrow aspiration in an attempt to rule out Leukemia.

 On December 19, 2003, two days following the excruciating bone marrow procedure performed on her, Serna-Gallegos was diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL), a cancer of the white blood cells, which continuously multiply and are overproduced in the bone marrow.

“I was a freshman in high school when my life seemed to come crashing down into pieces incapable of rebuilding,” she shared.

One day after receiving the phone call she was sent to the University of New Mexico Hospital (UNMH) for the first of numerous week-long stays in the Pediatric Oncology Unit.

Knowing that she was battling for her life, she put everything from her normal life aside. While most 13 and 14 year-olds enjoyed the beginning of high school, Tasha was about to give “beating cancer” all she had.

“I was an extremely active athlete and student who was suddenly forced to put a hold on everything: school, volleyball and softball.”

Literally, it was time for her to fight for her life and plainly give it everything she had.

“My family held me together, but I had to endure the physical and mental pain that came along with a cancer patient's protocol all alone.”

While she went into remission one month and one day after being initially diagnosed, the treatments lasted years. Her main method of receiving chemotherapy was through a port-catheter, which is a small plastic device that was placed right under the skin on her chest with a tube leading to her main artery. Additionally, Serna-Gallegos received shots directly in her thigh muscles and she took pills every few weeks. 

Luckily, she did not need radiation, but chemotherapy alone proved to be more than she could handle. Initially she suffered from many side effects and not too much later did she lose her hair, for the first of two times. Along with her hair went all of her self-confidence. Steroids brought about another set of side effects, which altered her body and the numerous other drugs prescribed left her vomiting excessively.

“I was young, but I was fully aware that cancer killed people and I was next on the chopping block if I did not fight for my life.” And fight she did. “At times I felt like it was time to give up, but seeing my mom’s teary eyed face and hidden fear every time a needle plunged into my chest kept me going full throttle.”

 For the second half of her freshman year she was home-schooled by teachers who visited her at her house, when she was allowed visitors and was up for the challenge of academics.

Once she was “comfortable” with her cancer life she was able to return to school and shortly thereafter to sports as well. During the time of her initial diagnosis she did not play volleyball (2003 – due to painful symptoms associated with cancer) and in the spring she was also forced off the field with intensive chemo treatments multiple times per week.

In the fall of 2004, nine months after being identified with ALL, as s sophomore she returned to the volleyball court and helped her team win the New Mexico State Championship. She took back to the field in the spring on the softball team and for the remainder of her high school career played on those two teams.

 “My high school softball and volleyball teams showed me what it meant to stand by a teammate,” she said. “They took me back in like nothing ever happened.”

Not only had she learned lessons about life and battling through tough times, but she also learned what a team truly was. Her teammates stood by her throughout her journey as she would often miss school, practices and games for treatments or other medical reasons, especially during her sophomore year and on occasion as a junior.

 By the time Tasha was a senior in high school, she was clear of cancer. As a healthy 17  year-old, she had her sights set on college.

“Cancer was hard, to say the least, but I beat it. Who knows whether I will relapse and have to go through it all again, but I have realized that time is precious and every day of life is truly a gift and worth living to its full potential. I want to challenge myself just like cancer challenged me. It was time for me to try and move on and find a life free of needles, tears and hospital visits. It was time for college.”

 In researching colleges she knew that she wanted a place that would take her further than she thought she could go with regards to education. She also knew, growing up in a small city, that she wanted to venture out into a big city to try something new.

With a number of excellent colleges on her radar, Serna-Gallegos eventually settled on Occidental College. “I chose Oxy because of the small size and the fact that I would have family close by.”

Coming out of a very isolated journey through cancer she felt that having the support of family nearby would be imperative and she chose to attend Occidental.

With her initial decision directed at taking a break from athletics to focus completely on academics, she quickly shifted gears after realizing how much she missed the camaraderie, support and fun times she had always shared with teammates.

After a year on campus, Tasha’s decision to get back into the game was a difficult one. Many pressing questions crossed her mind. What she did not realize when she came to the 1,800-student campus was that she found a new family.

 “Not knowing what I was going to get from this new team of strangers at Oxy, I gave it a shot and can now honestly say that I feel at home.” 

 While academics have always been the highest priority for Tasha, being a part of the softball team has brought her back to the girl she was before cancer. They didn’t know her past, she didn’t know theirs, but each and every one of them accepted her in ways she did not think possible.

“I have never had such personable coaches either. Every day they make me excited to play softball and give it my all. Whether they are laughing with me or yelling at me, they teach me something new every day. I find myself smiling more than I have in a long time around this team. I feel so lucky to have each and every one of them around me calling me their teammate and player.”

Although she felt completely confused about the new person cancer created with regards to her body, returning to the things that brought her so many memories as a kid, like softball, have helped her remember who she is.

“Softball is not just a sport to me; it is my home.”

Since stepping out onto the field a few short months ago Serna-Gallegos has contributed to the most successful season in a number of years at Oxy. Her ability to remain calm on the field and just play and have fun, have been instrumental in her success.

“Tasha really brings a ton of personality to this team,” offered Head Coach Jodie Cox. “She is so well liked by everyone and she works extremely hard every day.” 

 As the starting second baseman she has 78 putouts and 71 assists while having driven in 11 runs at the plate. Maybe her most memorable moment this season was against Wheaton College when she came up with a game-winning hit, extending the Tigers’ win streak to six.

During the next two years she hopes to continue playing the sport she loves wearing black and orange, but also strives to succeed in the classroom.

Already she has given back with the American Cancer Society and the Children’s Cancer Fund, but now she has her sights set on attending either pharmaceutical or medical school. Cancer was a huge part of her life as an individual, daughter, sister, student, friend, and athlete.

“Nobody should have to undergo the physical and mental side effects of cancer like I did so I will do my best to help the cause with the knowledge I gain from Oxy and any other schools I attend in the future.”

For Tasha, the future is now.

“Cancer has completely shaped who I am today, but instead of dwelling on it like I did for many years, I have decided to move forward knowing there is so much more I have to experience.”

Fortunately for Occidental College and the softball program, Tasha chose to move forward to Los Angeles. While she now calls Oxy home, she has already given back to this institution in so many ways during her rookie season. The future is indeed bright for this thriving young woman.