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w o m e n ��� s b a s k e t b a l l f e a t u r e : t e r r y k i x Positively Persevering Kix���s character sustains cancer fight BY STACY CLARDIE SClardie@GoldandBlack.com found bacteria and then the windknocked-out blow: They had found a five-inch ���suspicious��� tumor that vidence is everywhere. they believed was cancerous. Nearly every inch of the wood Kix had been feeling stomach pain wainscoting in Terry Kix���s furnished, for nearly four months, first figuring 1,450-square foot basement is covit was a reaction to food she���d eaten ered with hand-written letters, printon a trip to Italy, then thinking acid ed e-mails and cards. reflux, then wondering maybe she Some are from names everyone was starting menopause before docwould know, former Connecticut coltors revealed the ulcer. But cancer? league Geno Auriemma and Colts And a rare one, affecting only 21,000 coach Chuck Pagano among them, Americans last year? others from close friends and more ���It was very shocking,��� said Kix, still from strangers who responded afwhose sister Debbie is a breast canter hearing of her story and her fight. cer survivor and whose father���s side Not that the support is easily conof the family has a history of cancer. tained to the walls. There���s too much ���I���ve been very healthy my whole life for that, overflowing to being secured and have played at a very high level in by tape on the glass panes of the door, athletics. I haven���t even had a stitch standing on end tables or hanging or a surgery. Been very blessed.��� from the sides of them. Then she added, with a laugh, ���So Some offer a punch of color, eswhen I do it, I do it right.��� pecially the children���s drawings with Soon after that initial diagnosis, scribbles in red, pink and blue. Kix went to Indianapolis for an ulSome are stark white, dramatic in trasound ��� it was tough to make out their simplicity. much in the initial PET scan because All offer encouragement. Kix���s stomach lining was too thick, All are hope-bringing. she said ��� to see if the cancer had All are spirit-lifting. spread outside of the lymph nodes All are perspective-giving. around the stomach. With it being All are empowering in their sincerin the lymph nodes, she���d been diagity, in their deepness, in their heartsnosed as ���Stage 3.��� If it���d spread into poured-out but, mostly, in their love, the pancreas or other organs, though, and in the awareness they provide to the situation would be more dire. how much Kix and her spirit, her life Kix initially was told it���d take and her attitude matter. two to three days for the results. But ���She���s the glue. She���s the heart. when she came out of the exam, a She is the motivation, the calming Tom Campbell nurse told her the doctor wanted to force,��� Coach Sharon Versyp said Watching Terry Kix on the sidelines, one would never know she���s battling stomach see her right away. of what director of operations Kix cancer. Kix has been vocal, vibrant and energetic on the Boilermakers��� bench since She waited 15 agonizing minutes. means to the program. ���She���s a men- the diagnosis in November. ���I���m a very positive person and I���ve tor. She takes care of everybody. She been thinking positive all the way, but fierce as this, Kix will do no backing down. takes care of the kids. She takes care of our staff. ���I���ve won a lot of championships, but this I just got really scared because she was coming She���s a liaison with the community. Everybody would be the biggest one if I can beat it,��� she said. right out,��� Kix said. ���The things that race through loves her.��� ���I���m going to use everything I learned as a nation- your mind, it���s crazy. I think I worried so much To Kix, the 49-year-old undergoing treatment al champion (at Connecticut) and as being part about the people who love me and my loved ones. for stomach cancer, the support is ���overwhelm- of a wonderful Purdue basketball program to fight I was so sad that I was putting them through this. ing��� in the best way. ���That was definitely the hardest part.��� with integrity and pride and lead by great example ���I���m very blessed. People have been really and give it my best shot.��� But then the doctor came and delivered the reaching out, and that really helps you keep gomessage: Nothing had spread. Her margins were ing,��� she said. clear. It was the best news possible at that point. ���Shocking��� To go with plenty of fight of her own. And then Kix being Kix broke through again. Three weeks after running a half-marathon, With an athlete���s background, having played field Kix was in a hospital bed, waking up from an���Once we got that good news, I was like, ���OK, hockey in college and then coached it for nearly 20 esthesia after an exam on a bleeding ulcer in let���s kick this thing���s (butt).��� I got into a good years and then stayed active by running, she���s accus- mid-November. The doctor didn���t waste much mindset again. I pretty much have been there ever tomed to the rigors and challenges of competition. time, telling her they���d confirmed the ulcer, also since,��� she said. ���Once I knew what my situation And though there���s never been an opponent as E 54 ��� Gold & Black IllustrateD ��� volume 23, issue 4 GBIprint.com GoldandBlack.com