This is truly a great story. My middle son is also a sophomore and cross country runner at Schaumburg H.S. (NW suburb of Chicago) and has known this girl since first grade. I watched this girl progress to be the team's No. 1 runner and she went on to place ninth in the tough Illinois High School Association State Cross Country Championships.
(Note: 3A is the bigger schools in the state. XC has had three classes the last two years. The IHSA goes to a three-class system for track from a two-class system this spring.) Best regards http://www.dailyherald.com/story/?id=261974&src=290 In the long run, Falsey's hope wins out By Michael Eaken | Daily Herald Correspondent Published: 1/3/2009 11:47 PM "If children have the ability to ignore odds and percentages, then maybe we can learn from them. When you think about it, what other choice is there but hope? We have two options medically and emotionally: give up or fight like hell." - Lance Armstrong in "It's Not About the Bike; My Journey Back to Life" Schaumburg sophomore Colette Falsey knows a little bit about this statement. Falsey was diagnosed with leukemia in fifth grade and started a remarkable journey that continued with a ninth place finish at this season's IHSA girls cross country Class 3A state meet in Peoria. "It's 100 percent true," said Falsey, who at 5-foot-5 doesn't quite fit the typical warrior mode. "There is not one kid that is diagnosed with cancer who is going to give up - no one wants to die."
