THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Wednesday, February 28, 1996 TAG: 9602270127
SECTION: VIRGINIA BEACH BEACON PAGE: 10 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Cover Story
SOURCE: BY LEE TOLLIVER, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Long : 149 lines
TRISH FELTZ SAT ALONE in a state of reflection as her Cox teammates mingled with other gymnasts at the state gymnastics meet at South Lakes High last weekend.
In her four years with the Falcons, her team had failed to win a state title - finishing third twice and second two times. Feltz ended her high school career without having won any individual titles.
But the thoughts of the Cox senior weren't on what might have been. They were centered on the fact that she was even able to compete.
Feltz may not have won any of the battles, but she sure won the war.
She beat the ``Big C'' - cancer.
No one in the South Lakes gym likely could lay claim to a greater accomplishment. Even the champions crowned at the state meet had to take a back seat.
But few outside of Feltz's teammates knew about her ordeal. And at times during a critical year of fighting the cancer, even the Falcons were unaware.
Her almost always upbeat personality prohibited her from dwelling on her situation. Feltz never felt sorry for herself and didn't want anyone else doing it, either.
And now that her body is completely clean of any signs of the Hodgkin's disease she was diagnosed with four years ago, Feltz says she is a better person for it.
``I've become more focused,'' she said after Cox had finished second to Lake Braddock for the second year in a row. ``All my priorities are set. I know what's first and I can truly be thankful for things now.
``I thank God for everything that I have now - my friends and everything that I have and do.
``I'd like to think it's really working.''
It was the first month of her freshman year when doctors told Feltz the bad news. The tests were positive. Cancer of the lymph nodes. Hodgkin's disease.
Not the worst cancer, but not good just the same.
Despite the shock, Feltz was unabashed. She knew from the very beginning she could beat it.
But it wouldn't be easy. She'd need support. From family and friends. And she got it.
``My senior quote is: `During hard times, you won't find your true friends. They'll find you' ,'' Feltz said. ``I really believe that's true.''
They were there for her during the bad times when she missed school and for support when she felt sick or tired from the chemotherapy treatments.
And most were astonished when she finally decided to stay with the gymnastics team even though that winter was undoubtedly the hardest time of her life.
``I found out about her cancer during P.E. classes before the season,'' coach Melody Hartranft said. ``At first she wasn't going to come out (for gymnastics), but I wanted her to be part of the team. She was getting kind of weak and couldn't do some of the things she was once capable of, but she was out there.
``She had good days and bad days, and there were days I couldn't believe she even showed up to practice.''
The chemo treatments took their toll on Feltz, sometimes making her extremely sick and then causing her hair to fall out. She started off wearing a baseball cap and sometimes wore a wig.
Still, she went on.
``The hardest part was just the cancer itself,'' Feltz said. ``When I went to school, everything was OK and I didn't think about it. But when I had to go back to the doctor for more chemo treatments, that was hard.
``There was never any pain except for getting sick. And I was scared of needles at first, but not anymore. You get over stuff like that pretty quick.''
Even for someone with such apparent great inner strength, there were hard times. And there was one night - amazingly only one - when she wasn't sure she could go on.
``I had really started stressing,'' Feltze said. ``I really don't even remember what triggered it. But my parents came and sat and talked to me for a long time and we worked our way through it.''
Parents Pam and Mike Feltz and a strong group of friends were a big help, but so was a renewal of her relationship with God.
She looks back on the cancer as a kind of test.
``I had had such a good gymnastics season my eighth grade year and I was riding high,'' she said. ``I was on top of the world and was taking everything for granted.''
Then the crash.
``My faith is very strong again,'' she said. ``I discovered Young Life (a religious organization for youth) at Cox and it's all become a big part of my life again.''
Nearly one year - to the day - after receiving the bad news, Feltz received the good. The surgeries and chemo treatments had worked. There were no more signs of cancer.
As she knew she always would, Feltz had beaten it.
``You can't imagine how great that felt,'' she said. ``I always knew, but you never really know. It just felt so fantastic to hear.''
Every year from then, she gets together with family and close friends in a celebration of life.
``She's just such a special person,'' Hartranft said. ``In 15 years of coaching, I've had some pretty good kids, but there were times when I think the cancer upset me more than it did her.
``She's been an inspiration, cancer or no cancer. She's just that kind of person.''
Feltz isn't sure whether or not this is the end of her gymnastics career. She has been accepted to Randolph-Macon and is waiting to hear from James Madison - her first choice and a school where she might be able to walk on to the gymnastics team.
But one thing that the cancer has affected is her possible choice in careers.
``I've thought about the medical field because of what I've been through,'' she said. ``I'll wait and see about gymnastics, but I'm not going to make a decision right now.''
She's decided not to go out for softball, a sport she once played, and will maintain her cheerleading duties throughout the remainder of the school year.
Feltz has had plenty to cheer about lately.
``Cheering is more time consuming than people think, and it was a good way to keep my mind busy before,'' she said. ILLUSTRATION: [Cover, Color photo]
WINNING SPIRIT
Trish Feltz
Having sent cancer for a loop as a freshman, Feltz competes in the
uneven bars during last weekend's state gymnastics meet.
``My senior quote is: `During hard times, you won't find your true
friends. They'll find you' ,'' Feltz said.
Surrounded by admiring teammates, Feltz holds the second-place
trophy that Cox High won in the state team competition.
Staff photos, including color cover, by D. KEVIN ELLIOTT
While her Cox High teammates mingled with other gymnasts after the
state meet, Trish Feltz reflected on her personal victory over
Hodgkin's disease. ``I've become more focused,'' she said after Cox
finished second for the second year in a row. ``All my priorities
are set. I know what's first and I can truly be thankful for things
now.''
BEACH STATE CHAMP
In the closest battle in state gymnastics history, Kellam High's
Brooke Sawyer, left, wins the all-around individual title by five
hundreths of a point.
In the closest battle in state gymnastics history, Kellam High's
Brooke Sawyer, left, won the all-around individual title by five
hundreths of a point.
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by CNB