MATC Pitcher Diagnosed With Cancerous Tumor In Arm
Kristen Bechtolt To Start Chemotherapy January 6
Posted: 12:56 am CST January 4,2009
MADISON, Wis. -- A Green County teen athlete is faced with a difficult struggle, as family, friends, and teammates of a Madison Area Technical College softball player try to come to terms with a painful diagnosis she has recently received.
VIDEO: Watch The ReportKristen Bechtolt and her family are learning to deal with her illness, so common among young people, that she is now just beginning to fight.As a pitcher for the MATC softball team, a demolition derby champion and an avid volleyball player, Bechtolt is used to bumps and bruises. And when the 19-year-old recently fell down the stairs at her home, she initially brushed off the incident as no big deal despite a lingering pain."I didn't really think anything of it," said Bechtolt. "I figured the pain would just go away.""Being in sports and very active and everything," Bechtolt said, "you just don't want to take the time to think that something could be wrong."But Bechtolt said that she began to think that something was wrong when the pain from the seemingly minor accident just would not go away."They ordered the MRI and that's when they found that I had a tumor in my arm," Bechtolt remembered.Bechtolt was diagnosed with Osteogenic Sarcoma, which, according to UW Health officials, is the most common cancerous bone tumor in young people."She's so young," said Kristen's mother, Cheryl Bechtolt. "It was not a call that I ever expected. To hear those words and have her go through all this. It's tough as a parent."After one biopsy and with the prospect of several surgeries on the horizon, the physical strain on Bechtolt's arm is readily apparent. Along with treatment, Kristen Bechtolt said she'll seek the help of friends, family, and the game of softball to help her through this unexpected challenge."I tried to convince the doctors that since it was my left arm that I'd still be able to play with my right arm. They weren't going for that though," said Kristen BechtoltThe MATC WolfPack softball team is planning to play a couple of games in Florida during spring break. Bechtolt plans to continue to travel with the team even if she is physically unable to play, citing the desire to be with her teammates, WISC-TV reported.Bechtolt said her plans are to start chemotherapy on her arm on Tuesday, Jan. 6. The chemotherapy should shrink the tumor to about 30 percent of its current size. She will then need to have surgery to remove the remaining tumor. The removed bone will then be replaced with a metal or titanium rod.
VIDEO: Watch The ReportKristen Bechtolt and her family are learning to deal with her illness, so common among young people, that she is now just beginning to fight.As a pitcher for the MATC softball team, a demolition derby champion and an avid volleyball player, Bechtolt is used to bumps and bruises. And when the 19-year-old recently fell down the stairs at her home, she initially brushed off the incident as no big deal despite a lingering pain."I didn't really think anything of it," said Bechtolt. "I figured the pain would just go away.""Being in sports and very active and everything," Bechtolt said, "you just don't want to take the time to think that something could be wrong."But Bechtolt said that she began to think that something was wrong when the pain from the seemingly minor accident just would not go away."They ordered the MRI and that's when they found that I had a tumor in my arm," Bechtolt remembered.Bechtolt was diagnosed with Osteogenic Sarcoma, which, according to UW Health officials, is the most common cancerous bone tumor in young people."She's so young," said Kristen's mother, Cheryl Bechtolt. "It was not a call that I ever expected. To hear those words and have her go through all this. It's tough as a parent."After one biopsy and with the prospect of several surgeries on the horizon, the physical strain on Bechtolt's arm is readily apparent. Along with treatment, Kristen Bechtolt said she'll seek the help of friends, family, and the game of softball to help her through this unexpected challenge."I tried to convince the doctors that since it was my left arm that I'd still be able to play with my right arm. They weren't going for that though," said Kristen BechtoltThe MATC WolfPack softball team is planning to play a couple of games in Florida during spring break. Bechtolt plans to continue to travel with the team even if she is physically unable to play, citing the desire to be with her teammates, WISC-TV reported.Bechtolt said her plans are to start chemotherapy on her arm on Tuesday, Jan. 6. The chemotherapy should shrink the tumor to about 30 percent of its current size. She will then need to have surgery to remove the remaining tumor. The removed bone will then be replaced with a metal or titanium rod.Copyright 2009 by Channel 3000. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
