Mia Hament passed away last Thursday, following her battle with a rare form of kidney cancer.
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Now, his team is just six wins away from capping an emotional campaign with a national championship.
It’s been a tough week for the Huskies: The team received news of Mia’s death just three days before winning the Big 10 tournament on Sunday.
In a penalty kick, no less.
That’s something Mia, a goalie, would have appreciated. And it’s clear that the entire locker room has been playing with a greater purpose all season long.
“Mia’s goals never changed despite her circumstances,” says Huskies head coach Nicole Van Dyke.
“She wanted this team to finish what they started. She wants this team to go and pursue our goals, because she was a part of all of that. Those are her goals.”
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Alex Buck feels the same way.
“Without a doubt, facing some adversity has really helped push us to where we are now,” the Huskies forward notes. “It brought us a lot closer. And being such a close team makes us want to work harder for each other, on and off the field.”
There are reminders of Mia all over the Husky football stadium. That includes a monument on the hill, just behind one of the goals.
And, as they overcome their anguish, their teammates have expressed their opinion about what their goalkeeper gave them on the field.
“Mia loved the game a lot and brought a lot of positivity,” jokes Washington midfielder Jadyn Holdenried.
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And the team is giving back. Showing support with orange bracelets and headbands that promote kidney cancer awareness. We even saw orange hats passed out before Friday night’s NCAA Tournament game against Montana.
“I think in times like this it’s very easy to fall into the trap of being negative,” Holdenried admitted. “But I don’t know… I just want to bring joy and positivity when I’m playing.”
“It was by no means easy. It was difficult. But this team stuck together,” Van Dyke adds.
Meanwhile, University of Washington medicine professor Scott Tykodi says Mia’s case was difficult given the unusual circumstances.
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The oncologist notes that limited treatment options made diagnosis more difficult. One that even the doctors found difficult to swallow.
“The average age of diagnosis of kidney cancer is around 60 years,” according to the expert. “So, most of our patients are older adults that we see day in and day out. It’s pretty rare to have someone Mia’s age with this diagnosis.”
And unfortunately, there is currently no kidney cancer screening program. However, Tykodi hopes Mia’s story will help bring about change.
He maintains that “the fact that Mia is so available, is on social media and tells people about the diagnosis she had, to make herself recognizable, will undoubtedly push people to be more aware of kidney cancer.”
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As for how the Huskies move forward, if they can overcome adversity, their storybook ending includes a national championship.
This is the first time they have hosted an NCAA Tournament game since 2019. That season, they beat Seattle-U in the opening round, before falling to South Florida.
This time, they enter as the fourth place. Their tournament begins with a tough test against a Montana team that hasn’t lost since September 26.th.
We also know the winner will face Arkansas, after the Razorbacks posted a win (1-0) over Dartmouth on Friday afternoon. That sets a 2North Dakota-Round matchup against the Huskies or the Grizz next Thursday.