Sean Isabella

sisabella@thenewsstar.com

RUSTON — The Louisiana Tech football program will be playing the rest of the 2016 season with heavy hearts.

Tech coach Skip Holtz announced Monday that sophomore running back Jaqwis Dancy has been diagnosed with Stage 3 Hodgkin's Lymphoma, a type of of cancer that starts in white blood cells.

Dancy, who was sidelined with an ankle injury for the start of 2016, complained about a lymph node while he was recently rehabbing. Tests came back positive Oct. 7, the morning after Tech's win over Western Kentucky, and Holtz informed the team that weekend.

"What they're going through is traumatic. It is hard to deal with," Holtz said of what Dancy and his family are dealing with now. "I've sat in those meetings when you hear that c (cancer) word and how has that is to deal with especially when you're a 19-year-old sophomore in college athletics who is fit and healthy with what he's battling. Jaqwis is in a different battle right now.

"For everybody on this team, it has brought a real sense of togetherness and really an appreciation for the blessings we have on a day-to-day basis. We find a way to complain, moan and groan over some of these issues we have, but it's real easy when something like this close to home, one of your teammates, is fighting a battle for his life. He's in our thoughts and prayers in everything he's going through."

Dancy spent last week at St. Jude's hospital in Memphis, Tennessee, and the Junction City, Arkansas, native is headed back Monday to start a treatment program.

Football community reacts to Dancy's cancer diagnosis

Since the diagnosis, Holtz has kept the team up to date with daily news about Dancy's status. Dancy has been inundated with calls and texts of support from Bulldog players.

"It's been hard because when you first told them of the diagnosis, shock, like, big eyes, wide open mouths," Holtz said.

"We have looked at statistics, numbers, survival rate, you know everything we can that we have talked with this team about. The hard part the day you told them is it's cancer. And let me tell you, I've sat in that meeting when that's what the doctor tells you and you don't hear anything else they say. You just heard cancer and you just walk out and you're like, What else did he say? He talked to me for 30 minutes and I heard the "c" word.'"

The five-year survival rate for Stage 3 Hodgkin's Lymphoma is 80 percent, according to cancer.org.

Dancy played in all 13 games as a true freshman in 2015 as a reserve running back and kick returner. He was expected to play a role in the backfield before he injured his ankle in fall camp.

Tech honored Dancy over the weekend at UMass by wearing a blue decal with Dancy's No. 20 that read "compete." Holtz said the leadership council, led by senior safety Xavier Woods, came up with the idea to support Dancy and his fight.

There are two well-documented cases of Hodgkin's Lymphona that prominent football players have beat. Kansas City Chiefs safety Eric Berry overcame cancer and is now back playing in the NFL. Pittsburgh running back James Conner was diagnosed with Stage 2 Hodgkin's Lymphona in 2015. He beat cancer in time for the 2016 season opener.

Cancer has directly affected several members of Tech's staff. Holtz's mother has dealt with numerous cancer battles, and his wife is a breast cancer survivor. Offensive coordinator Todd Fitch defeated a bout of testicular cancer in 2004.

However, just because cancer is common doesn't make it an easier pill to swallow.

Holtz's message to the team is one of a learning experience — always let people know how much you appreciate them.

"(Cancer) doesn't care about your race, your color, your political views, your socio-economic status. It doesn't care about any of that, white, black, old, young. It attacks everybody," Holtz said. "It's unfortunate we're dealing with what you're dealing with, but it is something as a football team I'm really proud of the leadership and kind of the way they circled the wagons and to really appreciate what we have and the great opportunity we have to play this game, to be together as a family, to represent Louisiana Tech; things that you take for granted on a day-to-day basis."