Fresno State Athletics
Celebrating 25 Years of Hope
4/1/2009 12:00:00 AM | Softball
April 1, 2009
FRESNO, Calif. - Friday night at Bulldog Diamond is not just another softball game vs. Hawai'i. Former Fresno State softball player and cancer survivor Rachael Donaldson along with 25 other survivors will line the field prior to the first pitch at 6 p.m. in honor of 25 years of hope with Relay for Life and the American Cancer Society.
"Bulldog softball is a perfect arena to raise awareness about a very destructive disease, especially since we have had to live through it first hand." said head softball coach Margie Wright. "I am very excited to have our first pitch be thrown out by Rachael because she represents this night on both sides as a softball player and a cancer survivor."
The Central California Blood Center will also be outside the gates of Bulldog Diamond between 4-8 p.m. Any Bulldog fans that donate blood in the blood mobile will receive a free t-shirt and a discount coupon to get into the game. Blood donation takes less than one hour to complete. Donors must be in good general health, weigh a minimum of 110 pounds and be at least 17 years old (16 years old with written parental permission). Senior citizens are encouraged to donate, as there is no upper age limit. Donors should eat a good meal and drink plenty of water within 4 hours prior to their donation. Donors can give blood every eight weeks: http://www.cencalblood.org/news-article-030909-041009.html.
Fans are encouraged to sign up for Relay for Life in Fresno which is April 24-25th at the Bulldog football practice field on Cedar and Barstow. Sign-ups will be made available at tables on the concourse prior and during the game. Luminary bags will also be on sale for $10 to support those who lost the battle with cancer, won or are still fighting.
"We are excited to team up with Fresno State to bring 25 survivors," said Chariya Newton, the Relay for Life Manager at the American Cancer Society. "We've come a long way and in 2008 served 2,212 patients."
Newton went on to say that in 2008, 942 patients were newly diagnosed in the Central Valley. They provided scarves, wigs etc., to 172 look good feel better patients, provided 33 with lodging, 211 with transfers and 612 with transportation assistance.
For more information about the ACS, please call (559) 451-0722 or 1 (800) ACS-2345. The hotline is open 365 days a year in multiple languages. You can also log on to www.relayforlife.org or www.cancer.org.
Rachael Donaldson - Overcoming the Battle
Life as we know it is a very precious thing. One minute you could be on top of the world playing your favorite sport or partaking in your favorite activity and the next minute things can drastically change.
Former Fresno State softball player, Rachael Donaldson experienced this first hand when she was diagnosed with Stage 4 soft tissue sarcoma.
Prior to being diagnosed Rachael had noticed a tumor, thought to be benign at the time, growing on the back of her leg but decided to put off surgery until the end of the season so that she could play. During the last game of the season (2005) against the Cal Bears, she was playing outfield when she was hit in the leg by the ball hard enough to fracture her fibula.
When Donaldson went to the doctor to get it checked out the unimaginable was discovered. The tumor on the back of her leg was in fact malignant. When the ball hit her leg hard enough to break the fibula, it also ruptured the tumor allowing cancerous cells to drain into her bone marrow.
Donaldson sadly was no longer able to continue with her softball career and was forced to begin treatment and fight for her life.
She went through bone marrow transplants, 11 months of chemotherapy and a surgery that replaced her tibia, fibula and knee with titanium. On June 15, 2006 was officially cancer free and in remission.
During this time, the community came together to help. Church's, businesses and many others stepped up to donate as much as they could to help in her fight. Fresno State put together a fund known as "Rachael's Fund" with a slogan of "meet it and beat it" which raised money for her cause.
"I am very thankful to this day for everyone in Fresno," Donaldson said. "The church's donated, people donated and out of the kindness of their hearts and just did everything they could do for me."
After her surgery she began what would be a six month span of physical therapy, at an institute that she would later work for while she was working on transferring her school units from Fresno State to Cal-Baptist Riverside.
Today, Donaldson is applying to nursing school, where she will start her studies and take the path to become a pediatric oncologist.
Donaldson expresses her love for Fresno State and for the city of Fresno very openly and decided that through all of her treatment that she was going to stay here with her friends and a lot of the people she cared about despite the questioning of others back home in Temecula.
"I would never take any of it back for anything," Donaldson said. "All of my friends were here and they were like my family. They were here for me through it all and I would never change a thing."
Donaldson played outfield for the Bulldogs in 2004 and 2005 and was known for her power hitting at the plate racking up seven home runs and 69 hits including 40 RBI's.
Softball has been a part of Donaldson's life since she was five years old and she gives the game and her teammates all the credit in the world.
"My greatest memories of Fresno State softball had to be my teammates and coaching staff," Donaldson said. "Without them and the game of softball I would not be the person that I am today."
"Join the State - Fresno State!" - The `Dogs' continue WAC play against Hawai'i. The `Dogs and Rainbow Wahine play Friday night at 6 pm and close out the series with a doubleheader Saturday afternoon starting at 1 pm. Friday night is Cancer Awareness Night and Saturday is Youth Softball Day. All youth softball teams are invited to take the field for the National Anthem. Special ticket packages for all youth softball teams can be purchased by calling the group sales coordinator at 244-5621. Tickets can be purchased by visiting the Bulldog Ticket Office, calling 278-DOGS or online at gobulldogs.com.
