Virginia Tech lacrosse鈥檚 Mary Griffin continues to inspire after cancer diagnosis
BLACKSBURG, Va. (BVM) 鈥� Mary Griffin did not expect her collegiate lacrosse experience to go this way. The youngest of five in a lacrosse family headed by a mother who coached the sport, Griffin was always near the top of her sport playing for Roland Park Country School in Maryland. The expectation was that Griffin would come into the Hokies program and, after some learning of the program and team, would jump into the starting lineup. In March 2020, Griffin earned her first start in what would be the team鈥檚 last game before the COVID-19 pandemic and the beginning of a long journey back for Griffin.
鈥淚f I could describe my lacrosse experience here at Tech so far, I like to say it hasn鈥檛 really started yet,鈥� Griffin said. 鈥淚t sounds a little weird, I鈥檓 a junior now, so you鈥檇 say, 鈥極K you have two years under your belt鈥� but both of those seasons have been absolutely crazy for different reasons.鈥�
Following the abrupt end of the 2020 season, Griffin was pushing herself even harder in the offseason, looking for team redemption as well as to prove herself as a full-time starter. As she conditioned her body throughout the summer, the sophomore defender was prepared to make the coaching staff notice her come fall practices. However, when the fall practices came, Griffin one day did not breeze through it as she had during her summer training because a pain in her right side prevented her from finishing, forcing her to visit the athletic trainer.
鈥淚t was during a conditioning drill that day, I started off fine,鈥� Griffin said. 鈥淏y the time the third [sprint] had started I said, 鈥楽omething鈥檚 wrong, something鈥檚 wrong鈥� and ran off the field and ran to the trainer. It was immense pain, something I never felt before on my right side.鈥�
On the athletic trainer鈥檚 advice, Griffin got a CT scan to check the area for appendicitis. However, the result was much worse. A tumor roughly the size of a lacrosse ball was located on Griffin鈥檚 pancreas and she was ordered to get a biopsy.
鈥淭hat was an initial shock. That was so crazy,鈥� Griffin said. 鈥淪o the first words out of my mouth were, 鈥楢m I gonna die? Is this cancer?鈥� It was the last thing I expected to hear. It was total initial shock, I went through the seven stages of grief in like 10 minutes.鈥�
The biopsy results revealed the last thing any person wants to hear 鈥� cancer. In a moment, Griffin鈥檚 life was turned on its head.
鈥淗earing that news for the first time was definitely another time that was the last thing I expected to hear,鈥� Griffin said. 鈥淚 remember my brain flipped completely, I could see my mom on the phone screen and that kind of was the most upsetting part. Not how I was taking the news, but more worried for her.鈥�
鈩濔潟栶潟ゐ潟氿潟濔潟氿潟栶潟燄潟旔潟�.
After being diagnosed with cancer, 's Mary Griffin fought and beat cancer with the support of her athletic trainer and teammates to return to the sport she loves.
— NCAA Lacrosse (@NCAALAX)
Griffin had to battle through a lot, the emotion of the diagnosis, the realization that her lacrosse career may be over and a brief battle with COVID-19, which she had tested positive for the day of the biopsy which prevented friends and family from being physically there to support her. While her life had changed, Griffin was determined to not let her cancer diagnosis define her and prevent her from living her life.
鈥淚 remember telling [my mom], I just looked at her and was like, 鈥業 promise you I鈥檓 ok. I know you鈥檙e going to worry about me, but I鈥檝e got this. We can handle this. We鈥檝e been through hell and back and we can do it again,鈥欌�� Griffin said. 鈥淩eassuring her made me feel so much better.鈥�
On Nov. 11, 2020, Griffin underwent surgery which removed the tumor as well as her spleen and 40% of her pancreas. Thankfully, the mass had not spread to her other organs which opened the possibility that the surgery could mark the end of the cancer for Griffin, though she still had to get scans to monitor the area. The next thing on Griffin鈥檚 mind was getting back on the lacrosse field.
鈥淚 kind of spun cancer to being the best thing to ever happen to me because I had such a new perspective all my teammates didn鈥檛 have it was that you could have it taken away in any second, any day and life is so precious and can change in a blink of an eye,鈥� Griffin said. 鈥淚 think [enjoying lacrosse] was something that I had to relearn and relearn to love because I think I was going through the motions and so nervous to play. But until I finally let go and really enjoyed where I was at I was getting better physically and mentally and enjoying the season again.鈥�
Slowly making her way through practices, Griffin began to return to form. As she was slowly cleared for more and more activities, it appeared she would be able to return. Somehow, Griffin did just that, returning to game action just three months post surgery.
鈥淚 remember getting my name called off the bench. I was like 鈥極h my God!鈥� I was running around trying to figure out where all my stuff is,鈥� Griffin said. 鈥淎nd I went on the field and one of my teammates turned and was like, 鈥榊ou鈥檙e back. You did it.鈥� And I was like, 鈥業 did! Here I am!鈥欌��
Defender shares her story from a unique fall semester and how she relied on her teammates to get through it all 鉂わ笍馃
— Virginia Tech Lacrosse (@HokiesLax)
Though her playing time would be limited to just three games, the fact that she returned at all was a testament to her strength and determination. However, even with her story helping to inspire others, Griffin didn鈥檛 feel like her work was done.
A former high school teammate of Griffin鈥檚, Marsie Salvatori, had been diagnosed with Hodgkin’s Lymphoma around the same time as Griffin鈥檚 diagnosis. A player for the Stanford Cardinal lacrosse team, Salvatori had to endure a similar journey that Griffin did, growing the two鈥檚 bond. Through their friendship, the duo decided to help make a difference by teaming up with the HEADstrong Foundation, which provides services to cancer patients and their families, to lead their Game Hair Havoc program which was an interactive online fundraiser for student-athletes to help bring awareness to cancer and cancer research.
鈥淚t was really, really cool to see the campaign kind of be surrounded by us two,鈥� Griffin said. 鈥淚t was really fun to get my team involved and really step up and get excited about something I was really passionate about and really meant a lot to me and my family.鈥�
Griffin wouldn鈥檛 be done with telling her story though. On June 10, 2021, she launched her own podcast titled 鈥�Not A 10鈥� which highlights people, mainly student-athletes, and their hardships. Her first episode discussed her own cancer diagnosis and journey and has grown from there with 16 episodes covering everything from the journeys of paralympic athletes, struggles with mental health and acceptance of one鈥檚 sexuality, among other topics.聽
鈥淭he whole perspective of 鈥楴ot A 10鈥� is for people to share their hardships and their journeys and what came out of them and why their life isn鈥檛 a 10 out of 10 and why they鈥檙e kind of happy and grateful it鈥檚 not a 10,鈥� Griffin said. 鈥淏ecause out of such turmoil and confusion and such hardship comes a lot of good and a lot of lessons people need to learn but unfortunately you can only learn if you go through something really hard.鈥�
Griffin hopes that the podcast will show people that student-athletes have similar struggles as anyone else and hopes their 海角社区 can inspire others going through the same or similar situations.
鈥淓very episode I鈥檝e put out, someone gets something good out of it,鈥� Griffin said. 鈥淚 get one or two DMs which is why I do what I do. It鈥檚 like, 鈥楾hank you so much for talking about this topic I can really relate,鈥欌�� Griffin said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 really opened my eyes that a lot of people are really, really strong and are so incredible and so wise and are out there really being the change.鈥�
With her junior season set to begin on Feb. 12 with a game against Jacksonville, Griffin will look to pick up her game where she left off pre-diagnosis. While the journey has not been an easy one by any stretch of the imagination, Griffin is able to continue to do the thing she loves while helping others through their own struggles. As she works her way towards the start of the season, Griffin continues to be thankful for the opportunities she receives and will continue to inspire anyone who crosses her path.
鈥淚 think that is my greatest asset having cancer,鈥� Griffin said. 鈥�It sounds crazy but it is.鈥�