Every four years, all eyes focus on the best athletes in the world as they compete in the Olympics and Paraolympics. This year in Sochi, Russia, a former patient of Primary Children’s Hospital represented the U.S. and realized her Olympic dream–something that would have seemed improbable years ago.
Nicole Roundy’s journey to the Paralympics began nearly 20 years ago. In July 1994, just four months after her 8th birthday, Nicole was diagnosed with Osteogenic Sarcoma, a form of bone cancer. She started chemotherapy immediately, but several months later she was faced with a difficult decision.
“I remember my mother standing in the doorway of my bedroom and I was sitting on my bed, tears slipping down my cheeks,” says Nicole. “My mom just said. ‘I can’t make this decision for you.’ I chose what I thought would give me the best chance. I’ve never second guessed it. I chose life.” Nicole chose to have her right leg amputated in order to beat cancer, and have a normal life.
Nicole spent many months at Primary Children’s, and underwent numerous tests and needle pokes. She battled pain and sickness. But she mostly remembers the good things at the hospital – hanging out at the nurses station, drinking soda from a giant syringe, mastering Mario Brothers on the Nintendo, and the visits from the therapy dogs and clowns. She remembers the little things that brought joy to that time of her life.
After beating cancer, Nicole was ready to tackle her next challenge.
She had tried many team sports, like volleyball, soccer and basketball. But she felt like she was too slow and not good enough. “I was the water girl for the basketball team in 9th grade. While it was great to go to the games and be involved, it was hard standing on the sidelines while everyone gets to play the game.”
Ten years after her initial diagnosis, she hit the slopes for the first time as a three-track skier. But she felt like something was missing. That’s when she discovered her love for snowboarding. “It was the first thing that opened doors for me. There was finally something that I was good at.” Nicole became a natural on the slopes. Not only could she carve her way down the mountain, she could fly through the freestyle park and tackle jumps. Two years later, she was one of the five women invited to compete in the U.S. National Championships. She also became the first above-the-knee amputee to ever compete in snowboarding.
Nicole had a chance to live out her dream of competing in the Paralympics Winter games in Sochi in March. She took on the world’s best athletes in fast-paced snowboard cross event, finishing 8th overall.
“It was an incredible honor to be a part of the team in Sochi. It’s hard to know what to expect going into the games, but to see that level of support was mind blowing. It’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, but I hope I’ll have another chance in four years.”
For all the children battling the same cancer or facing similar challenges, Nicole offers this advice: “Enjoy the moment. Life isn’t about growing old or achieving so called ‘milestones.’ It’s about learning to love yourself exactly how you are and accepting others how they are. It’s about loving the bad moments just as much as the good ones. It’s about appreciating what we have rather than longing for what we don’t. Keep your head up and keep kicking. In life, the good always comes with the bad. The bad is what makes life worth fighting for. Never quit being happy. Never give up on your dreams; keep kicking.”
Play Ground | Primary Children's Hospital Blog 