Riverview-Sarasota’s Saxton Dunlap Faces T-Cell Lymphoma Diagnosis Head On
Written by Lee Roggenburg on . Posted in Across The LAX World, Featured Posts, Florida Lacrosse News, High School, Tampa/Treasure Coast Boys.
I’ve already called 2020 a kidney stone of a year so where do I go when the tough stories keep coming? This now makes five stories I have received information about (one is still in process).
Saxton Dunlap, a recent Riverview-Sarasota graduate, and a member of the initial recruiting class at Webber International University, has been confirmed to have T-Cell Lymphoma, which has been located in his bone marrow. All the information about the road ahead is contained below, in his mother’s write up.
There is a GoFundMe page set up for Saxton’s expenses:
GoFundMe LINK
Pleae help out if you can! We’ll link to a Facebook Recovery page when it’s available
Kristy Dunlap, Saxton’s Mom
Hello everyone, I’d like to thank you for your support.
Where do I begin–I think COVID-19 saved my sons life when it came along back in March. In early May, when the lacrosse season came to a halt, Saxton had been on the go all the time, and was either on the lacrosse field or in the gym, preparing himself to go play college.
That’s when he developed his symptoms of itching and raised lymph nodes. We took him to several different doctors, at least 7, but they couldn’t give us a diagnosis about what was wrong with him. As a matter of fact, the first doctor he saw at Sarasota Medical Center, Saxton told him that he thought he had Hodgkin’s Lymphoma because he had researched his symptoms and thought he checked off all of the boxes for that disease. The doctor told him that he would be the doctor and Saxton could be the patient.
Then, my friend Megan, who is a nurse at SMH, told me that we should try one more doctor, and she promised me that we would finally get some answers. We went to see Kevin Dunn, who arranged for us to see all of the right doctors, and thank goodness we were able to get the help Saxton needed.
I was furloughed from my job back in May and am not looking to return to work until late September, but I truly believe that everything happens for a reason. My work situation has enabled me to spend all of my time and efforts helping my son.
Here is the latest update on him. Saxton has a team at The John Hopkins Hospital in Maryland, and they are helping learn about and treat the very, very rare type of cancer he is suffering from. We have learned that he has T- Cell Lymphoma, and the cancer has reached his bone marrow. This is a very treatable disease, but he has a long road ahead of him. Luckily, he comes from a very strong family and is loved by everyone who has crossed his path..Here are a few words from Saxton and some of the people whom he has touched:
From Saxton:
“Hey boys, it’s Saxton Dunlap. It’s time I inform you guys of my terrible summer. I’ve been dealing with some pretty awful symptoms from about May to now and the doctors have found out that I have Hodgkin’s Lymphoma. As scary as it sounds, it one of the most curable cancers, and I’m really lucky that they caught it quickly.
I’m staying strong, and there is no doubt in my mind that I’m going to get through this. I will be on a 6-month journey of chemotherapy and I have lost a lot of my strength and weight because of the cancer, but just like any bad injury, I will have to work hard to get all that back–and trust me, I will.
So that I can focus on my treatment, I have worked it out with Coach B and the school to push my entry date back to the Fall of 2021, which will allow me time to beat my cancer, and then train and gain my weight back and become better than ever.
I am as committed to Webber Lacrosse now as I have ever been, and I know you guys are there to support me. It’s beats me up on the inside that I won’t be there on the field with you guys this year, but I know you guys are going to do big things and I will try to be there when I can.”
Head Coach Chris Burdick – Webber International University
I have vowed to Saxton that his #2 Jersey will be there for him every game this spring that he can make and will be waiting for him come fall of 2021!
To Saxton…Coach B loves you kiddo! You are a special talent and special person and while we will miss you this fall, we look forward to you coming to some games when possible in the spring and wearing your jersey with us on gameday!
To the Dunlap family…you have a very special young man as you all know, and we are here to fight every step along with you!
To our opponents in 2022…get ready cause you are going to have to deal with the speed, the passion and the game that is wearing #2!
To the team…let Saxton hear it from all of us! “Let’s Do it for you #2!”
Clara Keyvani, Riverview-Sarasota Girls Lacrosse Player
Kristy Dunlap, Saxton’s Mom
Hello everyone, I’d like to thank you for your support.
Where do I begin–I think COVID-19 saved my sons life when it came along back in March. In early May, when the lacrosse season came to a halt, Saxton had been on the go all the time, and was either on the lacrosse field or in the gym, preparing himself to go play college.
That’s when he developed his symptoms of itching and raised lymph nodes. We took him to several different doctors, at least 7, but they couldn’t give us a diagnosis about what was wrong with him. As a matter of fact, the first doctor he saw at Sarasota Medical Center, Saxton told him that he thought he had Hodgkin’s Lymphoma because he had researched his symptoms and thought he checked off all of the boxes for that disease. The doctor told him that he would be the doctor and Saxton could be the patient.
Then, my friend Megan, who is a nurse at SMH, told me that we should try one more doctor, and she promised me that we would finally get some answers. We went to see Kevin Dunn, who arranged for us to see all of the right doctors, and thank goodness we were able to get the help Saxton needed.
I was furloughed from my job back in May and am not looking to return to work until late September, but I truly believe that everything happens for a reason. My work situation has enabled me to spend all of my time and efforts helping my son.
Here is the latest update on him. Saxton has a team at The John Hopkins Hospital in Maryland, and they are helping learn about and treat the very, very rare type of cancer he is suffering from. We have learned that he has T- Cell Lymphoma, and the cancer has reached his bone marrow. This is a very treatable disease, but he has a long road ahead of him. Luckily, he comes from a very strong family and is loved by everyone who has crossed his path..Here are a few words from Saxton and some of the people whom he has touched:
From Saxton:
“Hey boys, it’s Saxton Dunlap. It’s time I inform you guys of my terrible summer. I’ve been dealing with some pretty awful symptoms from about May to now and the doctors have found out that I have Hodgkin’s Lymphoma. As scary as it sounds, it one of the most curable cancers, and I’m really lucky that they caught it quickly.
I’m staying strong, and there is no doubt in my mind that I’m going to get through this. I will be on a 6-month journey of chemotherapy and I have lost a lot of my strength and weight because of the cancer, but just like any bad injury, I will have to work hard to get all that back–and trust me, I will.
So that I can focus on my treatment, I have worked it out with Coach B and the school to push my entry date back to the Fall of 2021, which will allow me time to beat my cancer, and then train and gain my weight back and become better than ever.
I am as committed to Webber Lacrosse now as I have ever been, and I know you guys are there to support me. It’s beats me up on the inside that I won’t be there on the field with you guys this year, but I know you guys are going to do big things and I will try to be there when I can.”
Head Coach Chris Burdick – Webber International University
I have vowed to Saxton that his #2 Jersey will be there for him every game this spring that he can make and will be waiting for him come fall of 2021!
To Saxton…Coach B loves you kiddo! You are a special talent and special person and while we will miss you this fall, we look forward to you coming to some games when possible in the spring and wearing your jersey with us on gameday!
To the Dunlap family…you have a very special young man as you all know, and we are here to fight every step along with you!
To our opponents in 2022…get ready cause you are going to have to deal with the speed, the passion and the game that is wearing #2!
To the team…let Saxton hear it from all of us! “Let’s Do it for you #2!”
Clara Keyvani, Riverview-Sarasota Girls Lacrosse Player
Good luck Saxton, the entire Lacrosse community is praying for you and has your back!Saxton's Journey
— Riverview Lacrosse (@RHSRamsLacrosse) July 2, 2020
This is what it's all about! So proud of @RHSRamsLacrosse Varsity Attacker, Clara Keyvani (2022), and her kind words of admiration and encouragement for Saxton.
❤️????https://t.co/mstLK2SSar@RHSramNation @Riverview_HS @tampalaxreport @FloridaLX pic.twitter.com/XQCxOCadTV
