SMITHFIELD – When 5-foot, 1-inch Shannon Sullivan became the first girl to play varsity hockey here, in 1991, she despaired of looking dainty – so before each game she would tuck her flowing, flame-red hair into her helmet.
Her opponents cut her no slack on the ice; she remembers once being checked so hard that “I had to crawl back to the bench – I could barely catch my breath.”
Now, the glory of two high school championships is long past, and at 32, she concedes with characteristic understatement that “I’m kind of in a pickle.”
A fighter by nature, Sullivan is confronting hard times. And once again on her mind are those trademark, shoulder-length curls.
She pauses for a moment in a conversation laced with humor and composure, and then confides, “The first time I cried was last Thursday, when my hair was falling out in my hands.”
That was the private Shannon Sullivan few see as she confronts her second bout with cancer in four years – but true to form that day, she quickly reached for the positive. Her tears dried, she says, and she took control.
“I told myself, ‘Get the razor and shave it all off’ – then I was fine.”
If you have the time and the inclination, please consider making a small donation using the ChipIn widget below.
I also wanted to give more info about the benefit and alternate ways of contributing:
The game to benefit Shannon Sullivan, at 2 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 30, will feature volunteer players who are at least 16 years old, and will include a slapshot contest for spectators and a puck throw competition for children. Game tickets are $10 for adults and $5 for children under 12. Tickets for the after-game buffet at Ticker’s are $15. For more information or to sign on as a player contact Alyson Aceto at 401-487-7085 or aaceto21@yahoo.com , or Jenny Trainor at 401-255-7582 or jenn_trainor@yahoo.com .
If you would like to contribute online, please use the ChipIn link at the end of the article. There is absolutely no contribution that is too small.
Original post below:
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Do you have the kind of friend that no matter how long it has been, you can get on the phone and pick up right where you left off? There are no preconceived notions of how often you need to stay in touch to maintain “friend” status. There is no: “I haven’t spoke to her in years, she’s off the wedding/Christmas/BBQ invite list”. They are truly and simply just your friend, always.
Well, I do and I hope you are lucky enough to have one too. Trouble is that my friend, Shannon, needs some help. She was just recently downsized from a company where she worked as a graphic designer for 12 years, leaving her with no health insurance. Here’s the scary part, she was just diagnosed with breast cancer for the second time.
Shannon is a 32 year old woman diagnosed with Breast Cancer for the 2nd time and this is her story. Shannon began her hockey career in 1988 with the RI Panthers. It wasn’t long after that, that the town knew of Shannon’s strength and fight as she became the first female to play for her high school team the Smithfield Sentinels. Little did we know that Shannon would once again have to fight like she had never fought before when she was diagnosed with Stage 2 breast cancer in 2004. With amazing strength and bravery Shannon took on her course of treatment: lumpectomy, sentinel node biopsy, chemotherapy, radiation, and oral medication for the last 5 years Eventually, she was considered in remission and was working hard as a talented Graphic Designer in Massachusetts. Her curly hair grew back and a sense of normalcy returned to her life.
Recently, her inspirational story has taken a twist. After 12 plus years with her employer she was downsized leaving her without medical coverage. There wasn’t a pretty severance package and extended benefits. That alone is a daunting situation many families have felt and are experiencing during these difficult economic times. What separates this situation from others is that Shannon was informed a week later that, “the breast cancer is back.”
Shannon is facing her next battle with breast cancer which has metastasized to her lung. The treatment will be similar, the side affects all too familiar and with YOUR HELP the outcome will be positive. So help us by being a part of Shannon’s next chapter in life because there is more story to be written.
There is a charity hockey game at the end of August to support Shannon. I am collecting money through ChipIn and will pass along your well wishes and donations at that time. So help out if you can: a small donation or a prayer, anything will help. I am lucky to call her my friend. And I want to have this friend for a long, long time.
‘Skate for Sully’ is happening tomorrow at 2pm at Smithfield Municipal Hockey Rink.