While the world’s best players compete for soccer’s biggest prize, one young North Texan already knows what it’s like to win the biggest battle of all.
Keegan Mayes, a soccer athlete and cancer survivor, is in remission after being diagnosed with Hodgkin lymphoma last fall. Through chemotherapy and long hours in the hospital, Mayes said his love of the game never wavered.
“It’s really exciting to be able to grow up and get over cancer,” said Keegan Mayes.
Last fall, a lump in Mayes’ neck doubled in size in just one week. His family initially thought it was a swollen lymph node, but on his 15th birthday, they learned it was cancer.
His mother, Wendy Mayes, said the diagnosis was devastating, but doctors quickly moved forward with a treatment plan.
“That’s when we got the news that it was Hodgkin’s lymphoma, and we were obviously devastated, but we quickly had a plan,” said his mother, Wendy Mayes.
Children’s Health Pediatric Oncologist Dr. Katie Ludwig said Hodgkin’s lymphoma is one of the more survivable cancers.
“Luckily, in our world of cancer, it is actually one of our most curable or one of the most survivable cancers with a cure rate of over 90%,” said Ludwig.
Ludwig drew up what became a winning game plan. Within a week of his diagnosis, Mayes started chemotherapy and spent countless hours in the hospital. She described the treatment as difficult and life-changing.
“A lot of therapy, intense therapy, life-changing therapy,” Ludwig said.
Through it all, Mayes stayed focused on goals both on and off the soccer pitch. When he began losing his hair, he turned the moment into something he could share with friends.
“We had a party where I just let my friends come over. We have hair clippers at the house, and we just buzzed my hair,” said Keegan.
Mayes said his soccer team helped him stay connected and positive during treatment.
“Everybody cared super much on my soccer team. Everybody recognized what I was doing. And I mean, throughout treatments, I still played and I still connected. It was really easy to, instead of focusing on the bad, focus on the good and play soccer with the people I love.”
Within six months, Mayes was in remission, just in time for what he called the event of a lifetime.
“One big thing happening this summer is the World Cup and we’re going to one of the games in Seattle, and there’s one in Dallas, and I’m really excited to go,” said Keegan.
Now, Mayes is a cancer survivor celebrating the ultimate game-winner.
This story was originally reported for broadcast by NBC DFW. AI tools helped convert the story into a digital article, and an NBC DFW journalist edited it again before publication.