The HSE girls basketball team took a meaningful stand against cancer, on Friday, January 17, 2025. Transforming the court into a sea of pink, players and fans united in a display of unwavering support for all those effected by this disease. HSE not only acknowledges the strength of those enduring cancer, but also honors every individual at their unique stage in battle.
Cancer affects the lives of so many, including members of HSE’s varsity players. To show their support, each player dedicated their game to someone they know that has been greatly affected by cancer, uplifting them in their fight.
Maya Makalusky specifically dedicated this game to her mother’s best friend, Karen. Karen is battling breast cancer and has recently completed chemo and therapy for the disease,
“I’m just super proud of the person she is,” Maya notes Karen’s character, “And all that she’s achieved.”
Maya shares many cherished memories with Karen, her most memorable being, one of the many laughs she has shared with Karen,
“We were driving, my mom and her (Karen) were driving, and I was in the back. My mom hates when people will tell her how to drive, so we’d be at a red light and right before it’d turn green, she’d (Karen) be like, ‘Go! It’s green! It’s green!” and it drove my mom crazy,” Maya recalls, “but it’s just the person she is, she’s always joking, she’s always making people laugh around her. She’s just such a bubbly person.”
To Maya, playing in this game means a great deal,
“I think, it being my last pink game, its super fun and super cool.” Maya speaks to how the team is more specifically connected to the cause of the game this year, “I think this year it’s definitely more important to us, our assistant coach’s wife having breast cancer, you know having that scare of things was really rough.”
Maya brings attention to the importance of representing support for these kinds of causes,
“I think it’s something that every school should have the opportunity to do and support,” she adds, “I think it’s just super fun for us too, so it’s a great night.”
The Royal players are a representation to how cancer impacts everyone and highlights the collective effort to overcome it.
