When Scotty Howard pulled his car up behind the mini-gym at Neosho High School, a stocking cap was tugged snugly around his bald head to keep it warm.
On Thursday afternoon, the temperature outside was a mild 50 degrees, but Howard needed that stocking cap to keep away the cool breeze.
Before Nov. 9, Howard didn’t need that stocking cap.
Howard, 24, of Neosho, was recently diagnosed with nasopharyngeal cancer (cancer of the nose). The tumor is approximately the size of a half dollar, and is located at the base of his brain stem. He was experiencing extreme headaches and blurred version, and visited the doctor.
On Nov. 9, the doctor told him he had cancer.
Howard’s world turned upside down. The 2002 graduate of Neosho High School had just started teaching science at the Neosho R-5 School District’s Southwest Missouri Alternative Education Center. He had also signed on to be an assistant coach for Jeremy Phillips and the Neosho High School wrestling program, of which he was an alumnus.
“At first, cancer is a sick word,” Howard said. “You think it happens to other people — not you. I have never had any health problems my whole life. I just started my career, and I found out about this and it was real devastating because you pray for good news, but then you also know there is bad news. You get emotional with both bad and good news. It has been tough to take on, but I have a lot of good family and friends who have been there and have made it a lot more comforting.”
Now, it’s December, and Howard is no longer able to teach his students, or coach his wrestlers. On Nov. 12, the week of his 24th birthday, he was informed that the cancer was also located in the back of his neck.
And, the cancer is inoperable due to the area that it is located.
Since then, he has been absent from the classroom and the wrestling room.
“I want to get back and work with the kids,” Howard said. “My grandfather, Al Potter, was a teacher and I respected him because there are still people to this day that have nothing bad to say about him. I want to teach and coach and help kids.”
Earlier this month, Howard started his first session of chemotherapy. He will do three cycles of a chemo pack, 72 hours each time, and will start radiation treatments beginning Jan. 17 for seven weeks in St. Louis.
So, when Howard pulled up to the mini-gym this past Thursday and noticed that members of the wrestling team were walking around with freshly shaved heads, he quickly took off that stocking cap that was keeping his head warm.
“I started walking up, and it was very, very emotional,” said Howard. “It was indescribable the feeling and emotion that I had. I walked up there and each one of them came and gave me a hug, and I rubbed their head. One of the kids came up and told me that I was not going to fight this fight alone. We just wanted to do this to show you that we are fighting with you.
“I told them that they are living a dream right now with the special group this team has and what they have accomplished so far, and this group’s dedication has uplifted me to beat (cancer) and come back and see them wrestle next year. They say this has given them hope to keep fighting on the mat, well, this has given me hope, a lot more hope than it is them.”
Howard attended Thursday’s dual against Joplin, and watched the Wildcats cruise to an easy victory and remain undefeated this season.
But Howard won’t be able to attend many more matches this season. On Jan. 17, he begins radiation treatments and will move to St. Louis. He will take radiation five days a week for seven weeks, along with more chemotherapy treatments.
Howard said after those seven weeks, doctors have told him he could be cancer free.
“The tough part, and rigorous part, of the treatments start on Jan. 17,” he said. “I have already regained about 80 percent of my vision, which was affected with double vision due to the headaches, with the first round of chemo. It has been very positive, and the doctors said the treatments have already shown improvements. The radiation doctor in St. Louis who is treating me has treated 31 patients with this type of cancer, and he is 31 for 31 in treating them with success. That is why we made the decision to go to St. Louis.”
Even though Howard will not be able to be with his wrestling team, he is still connected to the Wildcats. Before each match, he receives a phone call on his cell phone so he can listen to the team prayer and to Coach Phillips’ pre-match speech.
“I was fortunate to go to camp with them, and watch them wrestle this summer and work with them up until Nov. 9,” Howard said. “We started bonding, and getting pretty close.
It is horrible I can’t be with them now. It makes me feel like I am there even when I am not.”
The community is coming together to rally for Howard. A spaghetti red dinner and auction has been scheduled for 6-9 p.m. Jan. 26 at the Lampo Community Building on E. Spring St. The dinner will be served for donations, and there will also be an auction, music and an open mic.
