For senior Amrit Verma, his fourth and final year of high school soccer looks different.
The difference is more than his new role as East’s varsity captain. It’s even more different than last year’s odd spring season in the midst of remote school.
Though it’s a sport he’s played since age three, soccer has taken on new meaning for Verma this season: raising awareness about cancer.
Three days after his junior year ended in June, Verma was diagnosed with cancer. While he said the diagnosis was shocking and “devastating,” he was already going into his first surgery June 11. Verma is doing much better after a summer of chemotherapy and further surgery, and is set for a major procedure Nov. 4.
“The whole time, I just kept an attitude of, ‘I didn’t end up with the worst thing in the world, it’s just a bump in the road,’” Verma said. “And now, if I just keep a positive attitude throughout this whole thing, I’ll be fine. That’s what’s gotten me through it.”
His lifelong passion for soccer and newfound dedication to the cause has culminated in the “Vs. Cancer” fundraising soccer match against cross-town rival Chapel Hill dedicated in his name Oct. 15. Student Council has announced that the match will also be East’s homecoming game this year, after the original Oct. 8 homecoming football game was cancelled due to a player shortage.
When Verma received his first diagnosis in June, East athletic director Randy Trumbower called him to provide support and offer any help he could. With Trumbower’s experience in fundraising for an annual Versus Cancer baseball game and Verma’s passion, the idea for the Vs. Cancer soccer match came about.
Tickets for the match will be donation-based, suggested at $5. According to the fundraiser’s website, half of net proceeds will be donated under Amrit’s name to the UNC and Duke Childrens’ Hospital Cancer Centers, and the other half donated to research funding. The fundraiser has raised $2,800 by Oct. 12.
Other than fundraising, raising awareness about the disease is something Verma hopes to achieve from the game.
“I never expected to get [cancer],” Verma said. “I had no risk factors, and none of my family had it. But somehow I still got it. Obviously, hindsight is 20/20. So when I was in doubt, it had been going on for a couple months. I was a little bit annoyed at myself that I didn’t try to figure it out earlier, because then I could prevent it from spreading. But, I mean, you can’t really change the past.”
The crosstown Chapel Hill game is the biggest of the season in nearly every sport, so it is only fitting that it also holds this charity event. Last season, East went 1-0-1 against the Tigers.
“The Chapel Hill match is always the most intense game of the year; it doesn’t matter the record, it doesn’t matter the team,” Verma said. “Everybody just puts 150 percent effort into the game. It’s a game most students and parents come out to; it just brings together Chapel Hill, like a miniature, really miniature version of UNC-Duke.”
Despite the fierce rivalry, both schools will be wearing pink to the game in support of the fundraiser. This aspect of solidarity also resonates with the other co-captain and goalkeeper of the soccer team, senior Finn Statile.
“Obviously I hope we win, but more importantly, I hope that we raise awareness for childhood cancer,” Statile said. “I think Chapel Hill is doing the same theme as us so we will hopefully show some unity.”
The last time Verma played center back for East during a match was at the end of his junior season in March. Based on his recovery so far, he says he may be able to play again in this Friday’s game, representing his school, sport and advocacy.
“The biggest thing is, I’m glad that I’ve been able to use my experience with soccer and sort of piggyback one on the other to help raise money,” Verma said. “[The game] is also about bringing the community together to help out. It shows how strong [the town of] Chapel Hill is, and how willing we are to support each other.”
Photo courtesy of Phil Stapleton.
