Trent defines his meaning of Hammer Down Cancer
Note: Tyler Trent, a sophomore at Purdue, is in the middle of his own life-threatening battle with cancer. Below is a column he wrote for both the Exponent and GoldandBlack.com expressing what he will be thinking about during Purdue's Hammer Down Cancer game Thursday night against Northwestern.
So, you’re all moved in at Purdue, you have made it to all your classes this week, and maybe you’ve even had the time to attend a couple parties. Life is good right now and the cherry on top is that Purdue football returns in three days.
This game will also double as Purdue’s annual Hammer Down Cancer game in which there is a heavy emphasis on raising money for Cancer research. However, for some that word, CANCER, brings tears to our eyes and sends shivers down our spines. It brings back memories of parents, grandparents, friends, and personal battles.
These are some of the things I have been feeling the past couple weeks as I have moved back to Purdue.
I have had the blessing of being able to be vulnerable about my struggles so that they may encourage others. However, what many don’t know is that my relationship with cancer is more than just my personal battle. My grandfather, who was my personal hero and mentor, was the man that walked me through my college applications. I probably wouldn’t have gotten into Purdue without his wisdom.
He passed away earlier this year from pancreatic cancer. Dealing with that is probably the single hardest thing I have had to do in my life.
Cancer is more than any one person. Which is why when I was asked to be the honorary team captain for the August 30th Hammer Down Cancer game I wanted to make it more than just me.
Ben Harmon is a name that you may not be familiar with and rightly so considering there are over 40,000 students enrolled at Purdue.
But, you should know his name.
Ben was an incoming freshman at Purdue in the fall of 2017. As he started at Purdue he was just entering remission from battling Ewings Sarcoma, a bone cancer, for 10 months. In his first semester at Purdue he became the president of Sigma Chi pledge class and was excelling in every aspect of college life.
At least that was the case until his cancer was rediscovered near the end of the semester. This time Ben wasn’t so lucky. He passed away peacefully with his family at his side on July 6th.
I never got the chance to personally met Ben. I was too caught up in my own story to stop and take the opportunity to listen to others. You see, everyone around me was telling me that I needed to meet this amazing kid named Ben because just like me, he had beat cancer.
Cancer, depression, mental illness, etc. is more than any one of us. That is why we should take time out of day to listen to the struggles of others. That is why we should dedicate our time to donating towards research. That is why on August 30th when I roll to the middle of the field in Ross-Ade stadium I will be wearing a ‘Ben Strong’ shirt.
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