From The Greeley Tribune

By Samuel Mustari

Skates, sweatbands, helmets, extra layers of clothing, gloves and emotional support from nearly 1,000 people sure beats the heck out of tubes, needles, chemotherapy ports, nausea, steroid treatments, surgical masks and sometimes less-than-encouraging news.

 

Even if just for a few hours, 12-year-old Daisy Walsh and 7-year-old Carter Egerter were able to put their battle with cancer on hold when the University of Northern Colorado Club Hockey team honored them as part of its Hockey Fights Cancer Night at The Greeley Ice Haus.

 

The fact UNC took on the University of Denver, or the final score, wasn’t important.

 

For the record, the Bears beat DU 9-7.

 

Recognizing Daisy and Carter took center-ice.

 

In fact, Daisy wasn’t too hip to even talk about her cancer — relapsed medulloblastoma — otherwise known as brain cancer.

 

The feisty sixth-grader preferred to tell jokes.

 

“You know why you don’t put Pokemon in the bathroom? He’ll poke at you,” she said.

 

Daisy’s encore joke was as follows: “Why does a duck have tail feathers?’ To hide his butt quack.”

 

Sometime this month, Daisy will travel to Georgia for immunotherapy and chemotherapy.

 

The Walsh family lives in Broomfield, and cherished the recognition received from the UNC club team.

 

WHAT IS CLUB HOCKEY?

Playing club hockey requires a lot of perseverance, love for the sport and a few bucks.

 

The University of Northern Colorado Bears, who compete in the American Collegiate Hockey Association in Division II, primarily fund their own way.

 

With little to no help from the university for club sports, the Bears shell out about $2,500 per player, primarily for equipment and ice time.

 

Total costs, including travel, is approximately $100,000 per season.

 

The team also does some extensive fundraising, including finding sponsors for Hockey Fights Cancer Night, which is usually one of the best attended nights of the season at the Greeley Ice Haus.

 

“This is wonderful,” her mother, Natalie, said. “Daisy is really into spreading the awareness.”

 

A year ago, Natalie was told by doctors in Denver to “take (Daisy) home and make memories.”

 

“They said there was nothing more they could do,” Natalie said. “It’s a good thing that Daisy has a perseverance that I don’t have. What we do is pray.”

 

Daisy’s 15-year-old sister, Isabella, explained that the family deals with Daisy’s sickness “one day at time,” adding “we don’t dwell on the past, nor do we live for the future. I just wish I was as brave as she is.”

 

One side effect of Daisy’s treatments is her inability to control her body temperature.

 

“She had about four coats on out there (on the ice),” Natalie said. “She lets us know when she’s way too cold, or way too hot.”

 

Daisy aspires to be an artist and has a liking for elephants because they possess 40 copies of a particular gene that helps fight cancer.

 

Carter, a standout junior hockey player, was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia nearly two years ago.

 

Although his treatments are scheduled to last until July 2020, his cancer is in remission.

 

Carter, a first-grader, took part in the pre-skate warmup with the UNC club team.

 

“There’s something to be said about his resilience,” said Walt, Carter’s 62-year-old grandpa who beat cancer. “When Carter was diagnosed, it tore me apart.”

 

Cassie and Eric Egerter, Carter’s parents, have been by his side every step, er skate, along the way.

 

‘The remission is the first step in the right direction,” the 37-year-old Eric said. “Carter has a mental toughness about him, but there are times when we have to take the sliver lining out of his clouds.”

 

Carter’s worst days are when he endures a weeklong steroid treatment, often losing his appetite.

 

“They say that eating during that time is like chewing your food with penny in your mouth,” Walt said. “About the only things he does like is Santiago’s green chile.”

 

Carter chimed in: “I like their cheese quesadillas, too.”

 

Cancer has weakened Carter’s leg muscles, forcing him go give up his desire to play goaltender and switch to being a defenseman.

 

Whatever position Carter plays, he said “cancer can’t keep me from playing hockey, no way.”

(Originally published at https://www.greeleytribune.com/sports/university-of-northern-colorado-hockey-club-honors-young-cancer-patients/)