Senior Ryan Parker's list of accomplishments as a member of the IU baseball team is impressive -- two-time member of the Academic All-American Team, Academic All-Big Ten selection and a .340 batting average with 51 RBIs last season, to name a few. But perhaps the most defining aspect of Parker's career as a Hoosier is the fact that he is a cancer survivor. \nIt was April of last year when Parker, 22 at the time, first noticed a lump on his neck. Parker had never seen or felt anything like it before on his body but wasn't overly concerned at the time.\n"I talked to our trainer (Joe Lueken) and I went to the health center, where they ran tests for mono, tuberculosis and even cat scratch fever, but they all came back negative," Parker said. "When the tests came back negative, I was relieved at first."\nWith no diagnosis in hand and the lump continuing to swell, Parker received a biopsy, the results of which revealed Parker was suffering from Hodgkin's Lymphoma.\n"When Joe told me the results, I just went numb," Parker said. "I was doing so much at the time, the season was winding down and I was preparing for finals, that it never really sank in until summer." \nParker immediately began ABVD chemotherapy treatment in Bloomington, but after 11 of the 12 treatments were completed, doctors realized that Parker had developed another lump underneath his arm. At this point, Parker's oncologist switched to a more aggressive form of chemotherapy treatment called ICE. The ICE treatment involved two infusions of high-dose chemotherapy and a stem cell transplant. That procedure was completed successfully last month in Indianapolis. \nWhile Parker is on the road to recovery, he isn't able to participate in team practices, and his return to the field this season is questionable. \n"You have the urge to just go out there and take ground balls and a few swings, but you realize your body just isn't ready yet," Parker said, as he sat on the Sembower Field bleachers watching his teammates practice. "I realize I might not get back on the field this season, but I'm here to do whatever I can to help this team win. Whether that means helping the younger guys come along or just being a leader, I'm going to do it."
Act of team unity\nAs a result of the chemotherapy treatments, Parker has lost much of his hair. As an act of solidarity and a tribute to their teammate, all the members of the IU baseball team shaved their heads in November.\n"That really came at a great time," Parker said. "It really gave me a boost and it took me completely by surprise."\nSenior outfielder Jay Brant, who was recruited the same class as Parker, said that the team wanted to let Parker know he wasn't going to battle the disease alone.\n"Some of the guys had already shaved their heads and had to wear stocking caps during a conditioning practice so that he wouldn't be able to tell," Brant said. "After practice, we brought him into the locker room and showed him what some of the guys had done and brought out some clippers and we all shaved our heads right there."\nBrant, who has known Parker as long as anyone on the team, said Parker's attitude throughout the diagnosis and treatments has been inspirational.\n"Ryan is the type of person who worries about people worrying about him," Brant said. "He's just been so unbelievably brave and positive throughout the whole situation."\nPerhaps the most remarkable dimension of Parker's battle was the fact that he completed the last two-and-a-half months of the 2005 season after being diagnosed and beginning to receive treatments. Parker finished the season with a .340 batting average, five home runs and 51 RBIs.\n"I really didn't know how serious the situation was because Ryan was playing so well," senior pitcher Chris Hynes said. "I realized it was serious when he started to lose his hair."\nWhile Parker's offensive numbers were impressive to end the season, coach Tracy Smith, who first learned of Parker's illness while coaching at Miami University of Ohio, said he has been more impressed with Parker's ability to maintain high academic standards. \n"I think the most amazing thing was that Ryan has done so tremendously well academically," Smith said. "Most people wouldn't be able to do that. What he has done has been flat-out remarkable." \nParker attributes his continuing academic success in the face of adversity to the fact that he has had great support from family, friends, teammates and teachers. \n"Everyone has just been so supportive of me through this whole thing," Parker said. "I think two things have really helped me get through this. The first is mental toughness and the second has been a strong support staff. The baseball team, teachers, professors, friends, family -- they've all been so encouraging to me. I've always been the type of person who wants to do everything by myself, but this process has really helped me learn that sometimes you need help. You need that strong support staff." \nAlthough Parker's status for a return to the diamond for the Hoosiers remains questionable, he said he's definitely not ruling out the possibility. \n"I'm always going to say there's a chance," Parker said. "I never want to close a door, but right now the focus is on getting healthy."\nIf Parker isn't able to return to the field this season, he will have completed his IU baseball career with a storybook ending. In Parker's last at-bat against Purdue last season, he hit a home run. The Hoosiers won the game and prevented the Boilermakers from winning a Big Ten title. \n"It doesn't get much better than that, beating your arch rival with a home run," Parker said. "Maybe if this season comes down to a final at-bat to win a Big Ten championship, I'll put the jersey on and go out there one last time"
