THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Wednesday, January 25, 1995 TAG: 9501240083
SECTION: VIRGINIA BEACH BEACON PAGE: 14 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY LEE TOLLIVER, BEACON SPORTS EDITOR
LENGTH: Medium: 69 lines
AT THE END of one of her tumbling passes on floor exercise last Thursday, Trish Feltz flashed a brilliant smile after sticking her landing.
These days, the Cox junior smiles about a lot of things - and with good reason.
Anticipation of her freshman gymnastics season was rudely interrupted by Hodgkin's disease two years ago.
But instead of giving up hope, Feltz proved to be the kind of kid who is an inspiration to everyone.
She was and still is an energetic example of the powers of positive thinking and never-give-up-hope attitude. And she admits that those qualities were mixed with a little prayer and some good luck.
Today, she is back competing in three events for the Falcons and is also cheerleading. And the fact that it appears that the lymph node-affecting cancer has been beaten makes her cheering sincere..
``Everything is going really well,'' said Feltz, who was diagnosed with the disease about the same time as NHL hockey star Mario Lemieux. ``The doctors tell me that everything is fine and I feel great. Getting back in gymnastics has been slow, but it's nice to be back.''
After months of the physical and mental tortures of chemotherapy, Feltz's visits to her doctor are becoming fewer and farther apart. Her chemo treatments ended in 1993.
Now, she gets blood work done every other month and every three months gets a CAT scan. Her hair is fully grown back and she is the picture of health and happiness.
She never had any doubts, she said, that she would pull through.
``I have good family and friends and everybody was very positive around me,'' she said. ``Whenever I got down, even the least little bit, somebody always grabbed me and held me up.''
A good sense of humor didn't hurt, either.
``When my hair was growing back, it was so soft and thin,'' she laughed. ``And everybody loved to touch it. The team started calling me `duck fluff' because that's how my hair felt.''
Feltz competes on vault, bars and floor, but probably will stay away from the balance beam.
``But it's not because of the cancer,'' she laughed again. ``The beam and I have never really gotten along anyway.
``And I don't think I will pursue gymnastics in college. I'm starting to think a lot about college now and if anything, cheering might come into play. But not gymnastics. I enjoy doing it in high school, but that will be it.''
Feltz said she is back 100 percent, but has a different outlook on life - a much more positive one.
If there is one thing that is surprising about Feltz dramatic recover and return to athletics, it is how it affected her teammates.
``That's what really funny,'' coach Melody Hartranft said. ``You'd think she'd be a big inspiration to the other girls, and maybe in a little way she is.
``But she's always been so positive throughout all of this that the team just kind of got used to it and didn't really think much about it.''
But it is something that Feltz will always hold onto, because no matter how many gymnastics ribbons she does or doesn't win, she lives with the satisfaction that she won the biggest competition she has ever been in. ILLUSTRATION: Staff photo by TAMARA VONINSKI
Cox High School junior Trish Feltz, left, works out with the
gymnastics team. She also is on the cheerleading squad.
by CNB