Sequoyah's Springer battles leukemia with strength, community support
SEQUOYAH — It is often said sports build character, but for Sequoyah girls basketball player Ava Springer, life has tested her character far beyond the court.
In August 2024, Springer was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (also known as ALL), making her the third student at Sequoyah to battle the disease in recent years, joining senior JD Singer and fourth grader Landon Ragsdale.
According to the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, ALL is a cancer of the bone marrow and blood.
Although it is rare for one school district to have multiple students facing the same illness, the Sequoyah community has rallied behind each of them, offering unwavering support as they fight their battles.
INITIAL SYMPTOMS & DIAGNOSIS
For most athletes, occasional fatigue, dizziness and nausea are just part of the game — signs of dehydration, overexertion or a tough practice.
That is exactly what Springer and her family assumed when she began experiencing unusual symptoms during an early season softball game in mid-August.
It started with vomiting and dizziness, which initially seemed like a routine case of low blood sugar or heat exhaustion. But when the symptoms persisted and worsened the next day, it became clear that something more serious might be happening.
One particularly troubling episode occurred the next day while pitching, when Springer began feeling dizzy and blurry-eyed, making it difficult to focus. Concerned, her parents Todd and Dana Springer decided to take her to urgent care, hoping for a simple explanation.
'She drank a Gatorade, had some crackers, sat in the dugout and then was fine 30 minutes later, but the coach didn't put her back in that day because she just thought maybe she was sick,' Dana Springer said of the first incident. 'Well, the next day, it was kind of same thing. She pitched a full inning, I think. While she was pitching, she said she felt dizzy, so she called timeout. Coach came out, and she went off the field. She thought she was going to pass out. She wasn't feeling good, and so she did the same thing — drank a Gatorade and then felt fine.'
At first, everything seemed normal on the surface — Ava wasn't running a fever, and she didn't appear to be in serious distress.
However, when blood tests came back, the results sent immediate red flags.
Her hemoglobin and platelet levels were dangerously low, indicating that her body wasn't producing blood cells properly. The urgent care doctor quickly referred Ava to the hospital, where further testing was conducted.
While they waited for answers, Ava looked and felt relatively normal, adding to the confusion. Even though she was tired, she could still walk and talk, which made it difficult to comprehend the severity of the situation.
But beneath the surface, something was clearly wrong.
On Aug. 16, Ava officially was admitted to the hospital for additional testing, including a bone marrow biopsy, which took place Aug. 19.
'After they did her first blood smear slide looking for blast (cells), they didn't see a whole lot, so they decided to do a bone-marrow biopsy after that,' Todd Springer said.
A day later, on Aug. 20, the diagnosis arrived — a form of leukemia.
Hearing the word "cancer" is a devastating moment for any family, and the news was met with shock, fear and uncertainty. But Ava and her family didn't have time to dwell on those emotions — treatment needed to begin immediately.
By Aug. 23, just three days after her official diagnosis, she started an intensive two-and-a-half-year treatment plan, with a projected end date of Dec. 13, 2026.
Despite the overwhelming nature of the diagnosis, Ava and her parents found comfort in the fact her specific type of leukemia had a high cure rate.
From that moment forward, life would never be the same — but Ava was ready to fight.
IMPACT OF ILLNESS ON DAILY LIFE
Before her diagnosis, Ava Springer was an active, social teenager who lived for sports and school events.
Whether she was on the softball field, in the gym or just hanging out with friends, she thrived in the fast-paced environment of high school life. However, leukemia forced her to step away from that routine, drastically changing her day-to-day experience.
The hardest part? Not being able to play sports.
Ava is a dedicated athlete, and giving up competition was an emotional blow. Softball and basketball had always been central to her identity, and suddenly, those things were no longer an option.
Watching her teammates play while she sat on the sidelines was heartbreaking, but she knew focusing on her health had to come first.
'It's been really hard not being around my teammates,' Ava said.
Beyond sports, Ava also had to adjust to a completely different school environment.
With a compromised immune system because of chemotherapy, she couldn't risk being in crowded classrooms where even a simple cold could be dangerous. Instead, she spent much of the first few months isolated from her friends, attending school only when her health allowed.
'It's always been one sport to the next, so that's been a big change for her,' Dana Springer said. 'Just being home has been a very big change for her because she's outgoing and always wants to go hang out with her friends. There's always been practice and games, and it's just been the total opposite of that.'
Her father said Ava has had 35 overnight hospital stays and more than 60 days of appointments and treatments. That includes a stint in January when a 3-4 day treatment turned into a 10-night stay when she also came down with the flu and mucositis.
These overnight stays have made a traditional school schedule nearly impossible, and as a result, her family made the decision for her to begin online school soon, allowing her to keep up with coursework without putting her health at risk.
Despite these challenges, Sequoyah High School has gone above and beyond to support her.
Teachers have been flexible with assignments, classmates have reached out with messages of encouragement and the school community has made sure Ava feels like she is part of the team — both in academics and athletics.
'I just try to stay positive and just thank God for getting me through every day because it's not easy,' Ava said. 'Your body feels just beat down, but I have my friends who text me, reminding me to keep my mindset and keep my head up.'
Even though she isn't on the court, Ava's presence is felt in the gym.
She has attended basketball games when she's felt strong enough, and her teammates make sure she knows she is an Eagle through and through.
'She goes in for labs, and they check her immune system and tell you when you probably shouldn't be around people if numbers are low,' Dana Springer said. 'We try to be real careful with all of that going on, but at the same time, she's a teenager, and we're trying to give her a good quality of life. Coming to the basketball games is her thing. She wants to make every game that she can while she feels like it because for a while, she didn't feel like it.'
Socially, things have also been difficult. Many friendships naturally revolve around school, sports and shared experiences — all things from which Ava has had to a step back. However, she has found ways to stay connected, whether through texting friends, FaceTiming or attending events when possible.
'It's been very good and uplifting for her,' Todd Springer said. 'Her spirits are very high during those times.'
With her compromised immune system, Ava has to follow strict dietary guidelines.
She can only eat fully cooked meats and has to avoid certain fruits to reduce the risk of infection.
However, her comfort foods remain constant — her favorites include frozen chicken nuggets from Reasor's and sweet tea, along with a Strawberry Acai Refresher from Starbucks when she gets the chance.
Maintaining a sterile home environment is another challenge, but her family is committed to doing everything necessary to protect her health.
'If it can't be peeled, she can't have it,' Todd Springer said. 'It has to do with her ANC, and her ANC number is a reference to where her immune system is. Normally, for all of us, ours would be between 2,500 and 7,000, and hers stays typically below 1,500 and a lot of times is below 500, which is considered neutropenic. When she's neutropenic, we can't have any live plants within our house, flower vases with water sitting in them and things of that nature.'
Dana Springer added to that statement, saying how they have even had to adjust certain holiday traditions to keep their daughter safe.
'We've always had a live Christmas tree, but we didn't have that this year because of the water,' Dana Springer said.
BASKETBALL & COMMUNITY SUPPORT
Even though she has been unable to play this season, Ava's presence on the Sequoyah girls basketball team remains strong.
Her teammates and coaches have rallied around her, making sure she still feels like an essential part of the program. One of the most emotional moments of the season came when Sequoyah coach Lee Ott and his wife Crissy arranged for Ava to take part in a game against Ketchum on Jan. 18.
In a special moment, Ava was allowed to participate in the opening tip-off and take a shot before leaving the court to a standing ovation from both teams and fans.
'It meant a lot that my coaches gave me the opportunity to do it,' Ava said. 'Going to basketball games helps a lot (in keeping my spirits up), and just being around people who love you and care about you.'
After the shot, players from both teams joined Ava Springer at center court for a circle of prayer, embracing her in a show of unity and support.
For Coach Ott and the Lady Eagles, it wasn't just about honoring Ava — it was about reminding her that she is an integral part of the team, no matter what.
'After the whole series of events happened, it pretty much in that moment made you realize that the game doesn't mean that much,' Ott said. 'I really couldn't tell you what happened in the game because after that situation, I was just emotionally drained. I believe my wife was, too, and those kids, for most part, played their hearts out just because Ava was there and what it meant.'
But the support has extended far beyond just Sequoyah's gym.
Other schools also have joined in to show their love and support, and no school has gone further than Salina.
On Feb. 14, Salina hosted a St. Jude's Leukemia Awareness "Orange Out" Night during its basketball games, dedicated to raising money and awareness for the three Sequoyah students battling leukemia — Ava Springer, Singer and Ragsdale.
The Salina community wore orange — the color representing leukemia awareness — creating a powerful visual display of unity and support.
The community rallied together in an extraordinary effort, raising a total of $6,000 through a silent auction and a dessert auction. But beyond the financial support, the night was filled with heartfelt gestures of kindness, as Salina put together a special gift basket for the trio — a small but meaningful way to remind them that they are not fighting alone.
'I get overwhelmed and sometimes lose faith and hope in humanity, but then something like this happens and everyone just pulls together, and you just see that outpouring of love and caring and everyone offering to help with anything,' Dana Springer said. 'It's just amazing, and it's very good to see everyone be so caring.'
EMPLOYER SUPPORT
From the moment Ava was diagnosed, her parents knew their daily lives would have to change completely.
Every hospital visit and chemotherapy session meant adjusting their schedules. The ability to be present for every appointment and overnight hospital stay was crucial, and thankfully, their employers recognized that as well.
Both Dana and Todd Springer work remotely, an arrangement that has allowed them to care for Ava without the added stress of job security or commuting.
Dana Springer works for Cherokee Nation Businesses, which has been incredibly flexible and understanding of the family's situation, she says.
Todd Springer works as an operations supervisor for Energy Transfer Partners, where he has also been able to adjust his workload and schedule as needed, making it possible for him to attend every doctor's appointment and hospital visit.
The support from their employers has been a game-changer, giving them the ability to prioritize Ava's health without worrying about missing work or losing income.
'We're very fortunate,' Todd Springer said. 'We're very, very blessed to do that. We tell a lot of people that it's a very delicate situation, and it would be very difficult if you had to worry about those things as well. It would be a lot.'
LOOKING FORWARD & FUTURE GOALS
Although the road to recovery is long, Ava remains hopeful and determined.
She looks forward to returning to sports, celebrating milestones and reclaiming her independence. One of the things she is most excited about is getting her driver's license and having a real birthday party once her immune system allows for larger gatherings.
Ava's leukemia diagnosis came just weeks before her 16th birthday Sept. 16, abruptly shifting the focus from vehicle shopping and driver's ed lessons — taught by none other than Ott — to hospital visits and cancer treatments.
Her weakened immune system made a traditional birthday party impossible, but that didn't stop her friends from showing their love and support in a special way. Instead, they organized a heartfelt drive-by birthday parade through her neighborhood, ensuring she felt celebrated on her milestone birthday.
'They decorated signs and the vehicles,' Todd Springer said. 'It was great.'
Her drive and positive attitude are a testament to her unbreakable spirit, and she is determined to come back stronger in 2025.
'My thing is 2024 was a setback year, and 2025 is a comeback year,' Ava said.
Through it all, Ava has remained resilient and hopeful. She encourages others facing similar challenges to stay positive, lean on their faith and keep fighting.
Her journey is far from over, but she refuses to let leukemia define her. Instead, she is focused on beating the disease, returning to the court and inspiring others along the way.
For now, she takes it one day at a time and is grateful for the unwavering support of her family, friends and community.
As she looks to the future, her strength and determination serve as a beacon of hope for all who know her.
'I'm looking forward to being a stronger person throughout life,' Ava said. 'I try to push through and stay strong because I know I'll be cured. I try to be positive because some other kids won't be cured. My favorite Bible verse is Philippians 4:13 — 'I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.'
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