Jan. 20, 2006

By Rich Tortorelli, OCU Sports Information

OKLAHOMA CITY - Tommy Wade hasn't had a normal past eight months. After the Final Four last April, Wade felt an unusual feeling - he felt listless. Normally, Wade is an active person, running five miles a day. But he felt an unusual amount of fatigue.
Wade's fiancee, Jeanie Alexander, a nurse, persuaded him to visit a doctor. Doctors put Wade in the hospital that Monday, and by Wednesday doctors gave Wade six units of blood.

Tests showed Wade had colon cancer. Wade, the Oklahoma City University assistant men's basketball coach, spent the next six months undergoing chemotherapy to kill the cancer.

Wade's journey culminated with the news Tuesday, Jan. 3 from his doctors that he is cancer-free. Wade celebrated a bottle of champagne nurses had given him and eating 30 buffalo wings with Alexander.

Getting that news beat winning a high school state championship, going to the NCAA Tournament or winning a national title, Wade said.

"This day made me as excited as I have been in my life," Wade said. "Prayers have been answered. I've been on everybody's prayer list."

Along the way, Wade maintained a normal existence. With the encouragement of friends, especially Alexander and OCU men's basketball coach Ray Harper, Wade made it through.

"I think dealing with cancer, not only the physical things, but also the mental thing, is as important," Wade said. "I have been around people that have been nothing but supportive, and that has gotten me through the most trying time in my life. Our players on a daily basis stop by and ask, `Coach Wade, how are you doing?' "

Wade had a tumor in his colon and a spot on his liver that doctors removed surgically the Friday after he first saw the doctor. Wade was in Kentucky back then after finishing the season as Kentucky Wesleyan assistant coach.

Wade considered sitting out this season. Kentucky Wesleyan did not pick Wade as its head coach after Harper left. Wade, who has NCAA Division I coaching experience, had offers from several schools to be an assistant.

While Wade tried to decide his future, Harper asked Wade to coach at OCU. Harper convinced Wade to come, and Wade started at OCU on Aug. 3. Wade said the only person he would have worked for was Harper, his boss for seven years and friend for 20.

"He's a fighter," Harper said of Wade, whom Harper calls "T." "He's been as loyal as you could want. He's valuable in a lot of ways.

"He convinced me he could do it. There's no question he could do it."

Wade's emotions behaved like a yo-yo during his ordeal. Wade went through depression and asking, `Why me?' Wade said doctors told him one in three men suffer from cancer at some stage in life. That knowledge kept Wade from wondering how he got cancer despite his running and not drinking alcohol or smoking. Wade made friends with people at the cancer center, and he was surprised to find a young boy as one of the patients.

Wade drew upon the experience of other coaches to help develop his resolve. Wade looked at the examples of Syracuse coach Jim Boeheim and Connecticut coach Jim Calhoun, two coaches who overcame prostate cancer and blow whistles and sit on the bench at games still today. People live through cancer.

Also, Wade remembered the late Jim Valvano, the former N.C. State coach. Valvano lived for a year with metastatic cancer and is quoted as saying, "Don't give up. Don't ever give up."

"Everything came out optimisticly, but you have to live as normal a life as you can and you need to go out and do the things that you can do," Wade said. "That and with the support of all my friends, Ray, Jeanie and everybody in the basketball business that had called me and was concerned with all my health issues."

The main thing Harper has provided has been understanding when Wade has missed practice or games. Harper has sent Wade home here and there.

Wade has even felt like family. Wade's parents are dead, and Wade has no brothers or sisters. When Wade had his surgery, Harper's father drove from Bremen, Ky., an hour's drive away, to be at the hospital. The surgery was 7 a.m.

"He's been like a brother to me," Wade said of Harper as Wade wiped a tear from his eye.

Wade realized that his road could have been harder without basketball. Wade professes to have no hobbies. He only coaches basketball.

"My first concern was my health issues," Wade said. "I was wondering if I could physically do the job. I am a high energy guy, and I love what I am doing. I am passionate about basketball, and it has been the only job I have really ever had."

As a result of the treatments, Wade risked nerve damage if he touched anything cold, so that meant no milk shakes, just room-temperature water. Wade initially avoided crowds, including at basketball games during summer recruiting. Wade didn't visit Alexander at her hospital since he had a weakened immune system.

Wade also lost his sense of taste. Wade lost 40 pounds during the ordeal. The taste for food returned just in time for the holiday season. Around that time he gained weight back.

"There was no flavor in anything, and I tried everything," Wade said. "Being from Kentucky, I am a meat-and-potato guy. I tried chicken, steak and pizza, and all the things that I enjoyed eating. I was just eating out of necessity instead of eating out of enjoyment."

Wade had his final treatment Nov. 10 before a game that Saturday, Nov. 12. As a result, Wade missed three of the next four games, each of the three on the road.
Wade wanted to be at the Nov. 12 game against Union (Tenn.) badly. Around 75 supporters and friends from Kentucky Wesleyan came to Jackson, Tenn., including Harper's parents. He also missed road trips to East Central and Philander Smith (Ark.).
Wade's struggle inspired the team. OCU senior Trevor Meier said Wade came to practice with the chemo box hooked into the side of his body. Meier said his aunt died of cancer and his grandfather is struggling with it.

"When he was struggling, he came to work every day," Meier said of Wade. "All we have to do is come to practice every day. The last place you want to be is work when you're losing weight and throwing up."

Wade made a couple of recent road trips without incident. Wade traveled with the team to Beaumont, Texas, for the Dec. 3 game against Lamar and the trip to play Montana Tech and Carroll (Mont.) on Dec. 9-10. Montana was in the 20s during that time.

"He loves basketball and this team," Meier said. "That's a soldier to me. He's a fighter. Now he's cancer-free."

Next for Wade will be tests every four months for the next two years. Wade had a test Dec. 29 that he found out the results of Jan. 3.

Wade wants to be 100 percent for his wedding to Alexander. The wedding will be after the season, but the wedding was originally scheduled for late December.
Because of his experience, Wade said he enjoys each day more than before. He did a couple of things that were unusual for him when he came to Oklahoma City -- he bought a home and a new car.

"He sees life in a different way now," Alexander said of Wade. "He's not as tuned into the little things. He sees more of the big picture."

Wade said, "I don't think about next week or next year. I'm thinking about living life to the fullest. Jeanie and I never argue any more. I'm glad to be feeling good. I'm glad to be able to enjoy things we take for granted. Life is good right now. I've gotten through the worst part."

Wade's life is getting back to normal.