Spotlight to shine on cancer survivors at annual Oklahoma City RedHawks fundraiser

Turner Mason Swink, an Oklahoma City eighth-grader diagnosed with cancer when he was 1 year old, and Caitlin Schemmel, a Colbert third-grader battling leukemia, will each throw out a first pitch at the event sponsored by the Lance Armstrong Foundation and the RedHawks.

This year, the annual fundraiser is called "Pack the Park in Yellow," and organizers urge anyone attending the game to wear yellow as a show of support for all of those diagnosed with cancer in Oklahoma.

Yellow LiveStrong T-shirts will be on sale at the game. Yellow is the signature color of the Lance Armstrong Foundation, representing hope, courage and perseverance for those affected by cancer. Turner and Caitlin are living examples of all three.

Turner, 13, developed leukemia in 1998, had a reoccurrence in 2000 and then developed a brain tumor in 2005. Today, Turner is in remission counting his fifth year of being cancer-free.

"Stay strong and never give in," he said as advice to anyone battling cancer.

Like Turner, Caitlin, 8, is a fighter.

She battled hard against leukemia but was nonresponsive to therapy. In April, she received a bone-marrow transplant, which has given her a new lease on life. Caitlin said she now feels great and urges others with cancer to "pray a lot and be strong."

The young people will be joined on the RedHawks' mound by two adult cancer survivors, Oscar Mize and Dr. Matt Haag.

Haag, a Deaconess family physician, was diagnosed with colon cancer last year at age 47. He underwent surgery and six months of chemotherapy. His message to fellow cancer patients is to "keep a positive attitude and surround yourself with family and friends to help and support you."

Mize, a Cache resident, has battled brain tumors off and on since the first was discovered in 1991. He has battled four brain tumors over the past decade, the most recent treated with proton therapy at the new Procure Proton Therapy Center in Oklahoma City.

He hopes it's his last. He tells other cancer patients to "never give up."

The RedHawks will play in special yellow jerseys that will be auctioned off after the game, along with a Nolan Ryan autographed baseball and authentic, autographed and framed sports memorabilia from Case of Champions.

In addition, a specialized mountain bike sponsored by Bicycle Alley will be raffled off at the game. Raffle tickets are $5 each or five for $20.