BOARDMAN Determined Blewitt faces battle with cancer

The Olympic track and field hopeful has been diagnosed with Hodgkin's Lymphoma.
By JOHN KOVACH
VINDICATOR SPORTS STAFF
BOARDMAN -- Adriane Blewitt of Boardman, the No. 4-ranked women's shot putter in the nation and a candidate for the U.S. Olympic team for the 2004 Olympics, recently was diagnosed with cancer.
Blewitt, who completed an outstanding collegiate track career with Ashland University this past spring in the shot put, discus and hammer throw, has Hodgkin's Lymphoma and has begun chemotherapy treatment in Youngstown while staying with her mother, Rae Blewitt, in Boardman. Adriane's father, Rick Blewitt, is deceased.
Top performer
Adriane, a seven-time NCAA Division II national champion, has won four national shot put championships, two each in indoor and outdoor competition; two outdoor discus crowns and one indoor hammer throw title.
Her best throw in the shot put is 59 feet, 2 inches.
Denise Gorski, Blewitt's track coach at Boardman High and a close friend of the family, explained Blewitt's condition.
"Adriane's cancer is Hodgkin's Lymphoma. It is in the lymph nodes in the chest. Bone scans and bone marrow tests revealed it has not spread outside of this area. She is in Stage 2 and doctors do say she is in the 90 percentile range for a full recovery," said Gorski.
"The mass was originally covering 2/3 of her chest due to a great deal of scar tissue surrounding the actual malignancy. After one chemo treatment, the size was reduced greatly."
Ashland's track coach, Bill Gallagher, said that Blewitt will undergo chemotherapy treatment every 15 days for six months, and that Blewitt's doctors feel confident of a full recovery.
"There is a 90-percent cure rate. The doctors are so great with it. They have a great cure rate," said Gallagher, who has been Ashland's track coach for 22 years. "She is very fortunate that she [discovered] it at the [early] stage that she did. She is a well-conditioned athlete and that definitely is a plus."
School, teaching on hold
Although Blewitt has used up her intercollegiate track eligibility, she still is a senior at Ashland and was supposed to do her student teaching this fall and then graduate in December. But all that has been put on hold.
She also had been training at Ashland for next year's U.S. Olympic Trials as part of the Ashland Elite post-collegiate program under throwing coach Jud Logan, but that preparation also has been put on hold.
The Olympic Trials will be held from July 9-18 in Sacramento, Calif., and she already has met the standards for qualification.
"She will be returning to her workouts in the months to come under the guidance of [Logan], depending on how she handles the chemotherapy," said Gallagher.
This past June, Blewitt placed fourth in the shot put at the USA Nationals, the non-Olympic year equivalent of the Olympic trials. As a result, she became the fourth-best female shot putter in the U.S.
Gallagher said Blewitt will be traveling between Youngstown and Ashland in the months ahead.
"The plan is that the days surrounding her chemo treatment she will spend at home, and the rest of the time here [in Ashland]."
Gallagher originated the Ashland Elite post-collegiate program for track athletes who were attracted to Ashland to train after completing their collegiate eligibility. The program is funded by the university and provides free health insurance, housing and meals to participants.
Head-shaving support
Gallagher noted that Blewitt began losing her hair because of the chemotherapy treatment, and had decided to shave her head.
As a sign of support and love for Blewitt, Gallagher, Logan and other members of the Ashland track team held a welcome-back and head-shaving party for her last Wednesday. The two coaches and eight track athletes shaved their heads before Blewitt shaved her own to give her reinforcement.
"Jud Logan had organized a team-sport party for [Adriane] and presented her and her mom flowers," said Gorski, who attended the party along with Rae Blewitt.
Gorski said Logan, a hammer thrower who won four U.S. Olympic rings because he made four U.S. Olympic teams, also gave one of the rings to Adriane when she was in the hospital, and told her, "This is yours until you get your own in July."
Gallagher said Blewitt is determined to conquer her illness and take her shot at a berth on the U.S. team.
"I would not underestimate her will power because she has a lot of determination," said Gallagher, emphasizing that Blewitt is tough and a high-quality person.
"Her character and personality clearly overshadow any athletic achievement," he said.
Gallagher said Blewitt will welcome e-mails of support at thruit524@aol.com.
"She is getting bombarded with [e-mail messages] and it helps," said Gallagher.
X Get-well cards may be sent to Blewitt in care of Denise Gorski, girls track coach, Boardman High, 7777 Glenwood Ave., Boardman, 44512.