Julia Kemp receives support from Sand Springs baseball community in face of cancer diagnosis
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This story was originally written for the Sand Springs Leader.
“Sandite baseball is more than a team,” Sandite announcer Bob Walker said before Thursday’s junior varsity baseball game. “We are a family.”
“When one of our own is hurting, we all experience the hurt together and lift one another’s heads.”
Thursday marked a somber occasion at the Sandite Baseball Complex as a packed house turned out more for the pre-game ceremonies than for the actual ballgame.
All eyes were on freshman second baseman Lathan Kemp throughout the game, and most of the crowd was there to support his mother and family.
By the time the cancer was discovered in Julia Kemp’s liver and colon, it was already in stage four. Doctors informed her there was no cure, and she recently decided not to continue chemotherapy.
She is currently in hospice, but she managed to make it out to the final home game of the year and was surprised to discover the outpouring of love the Sand Springs community had planned for her.
“It’s amazing,” said Julia. “I mean, I was completely surprised. I almost didn’t come because I was hurting so bad but they got me out and here I am. Sand Springs has always been a community that has pulled together. My son needs all the support he can get.”
The Sandites surprised Julia by wearing special "Sandite Support Squad" t-shirts and presented her with flowers before the game. Her husband, Trey, threw out the first pitch, and the entire family came out to show their love.
For anyone going through a similar experience, Julia offers some simple advice.
“Just keep going one day at a time. It’s the little things. You might not be able to do the whole thing but do little things at a time and it adds up to big things.”
