Tennis has gone from being Brady Russom’s favorite high school activity to a much-needed escape for the Phillipsburg junior during the most difficult stretch of his life.

After being diagnosed with cancer last March, Russom has leaned on tennis more than ever.

“I remember calling my coach [Donna Jarvis] after my diagnosis and saying: ‘Tennis is my favorite sport in the world, and I want tennis to be my getaway from all of this,’ ” Russom said. “I told myself: As long as I feel up to playing, I’m going to play.”

Russom has been able to play the bulk of Phillipsburg’s tennis schedule despite receiving chemotherapy treatments in Wichita every other week since his diagnosis of Hodgkin’s lymphoma.

Not content just to participate, Russom battled through a grueling slate of matches at Saturday’s regional at Smoky Valley to qualify for this weekend’s Class 3-1A state tournament in Prairie Village.

“I knew from the start I’d have to play my heart out to be able to make it to state,” Russom said. “The reason this is so big for me is because in March I told myself no matter what I was going to make it. That was a week after I got diagnosed.”

Russom, the Capitol Federal® True Blue® Student of the Week, secured his state tournament berth by outlasting WaKeeney-Trego’s Garrett Malsam in a three-hour marathon match in the blood round, 4-6, 6-4, 6-3, ultimately placing fifth in singles. 

“I knew he was confident he could do it, but it surprised me he had the strength to last four matches – two of them were split sets,” Jarvis said. “That was a hard day for even the healthiest of kids. I was just shocked that he was able to do that.”

Russom’s battle with Malsam captivated spectators. Like Russom, Malsam has a remarkable story as well, receiving a heart transplant at 10 years old.

“His story is just as great as mine,” Russom said of Malsam. “It was a really cool match.

“When I lost that first set I was disappointed, but I still knew I could pull it through. In the second set, we locked in and got through it. And after the third set, when I won, there was just a wave of emotions.”

“It was two very good kids battling their hearts out,” Jarvis said. “(Russom) just always kept coming back. It was a very emotional day. Everybody lost it after that match. Hugs and crying.”

Back in January, Russom was in the middle of wrestling season when he got the flu and doctors noticed the left side of his neck was swollen.

“I got an ultrasound and a CT scan,” Russom said. “We waited a month and then did another ultrasound and it hadn’t gone down.

“The doctor recommended we do a biopsy. They told us the chance that it was cancerous or anything like that was highly unlikely. But lo and behold. I just remember my parents sitting me down and telling me it was Hodgkin’s lymphoma.”

Russom wasn’t sure how to process the news at first.

“I didn’t know what to expect,” Russom said. “Obviously, I was upset at first, but nothing really clicked until my first chemo treatment.”

Russom has now gotten used to his bi-weekly treatment routine.

“My chemo is four different drugs,” he said during a phone interview on Tuesday while receiving treatment. “The whole process is pumped in with an IV through a port in my chest, a line that leads directly to my heart because most of the chemo drugs are too toxic for my veins in my arms.

“The whole process takes 3 to 4 hours. I go home and get rested up.”

Russom says he usually doesn’t start feeling the effects of the chemo until a day after treatment.

“It’s just nausea and fatigue, and loss of appetite, for me, is the worst. I just get so hungry but I can’t eat anything because I’ll throw up. Typically the worst part of it is two to four or five days after. Then it starts to gradually get a little better until my next treatment.”

Russom has only missed a couple tennis tournaments while undergoing chemo.

“I believe it’s really a mindset thing,” Russom said. “I tell myself that I’m going to feel ok and I’m going to be able to do this and push through it. I believe my body can help adapt to that.”

“I think (tennis) is what has motivated him all along,” Jarvis said. “He always wanted to feel good enough and be healthy enough to be out on the tennis court.

“You see people going through chemo and how down they get, but he’s just persevered. He’s taken the days that he needs to sleep and get healthy. At some of the practices he doesn’t have full energy and he just does what he can. Other days, he’s just as good as everybody else.”

Through it all, Russom has somehow managed to play consistently well throughout his season, taking 17 wins into the state tournament.

“Considering everything that’s happening, I’m very pleased with how I’ve performed this year,” Russom said. “I don’t really have any complaints about how it’s gone so far.

“I’m not as conditioned as I was last year, but I believe I’ve put in more work to be able to compensate for that.”

Jarvis said Russom’s mental approach has been his biggest asset.

“He has such persistence and confidence in his abilities,” Jarvis said. “He’s not afraid to go for shots, and he doesn’t get down bad after he misses. His mental maturity was huge this year.”

And his upbeat mindset has also been vital in his battle with cancer.

“At first, I was distraught, but after a while I started changing my mindset,” Russom said. “I stopped asking ‘Why me?’ And I started changing my perspective to ‘Why not me?’

“I would much rather have it be me than one of my sisters or anyone else in my family. I can handle stuff like this and be able to keep a good mindset about it. I really try to not look at the negatives, and stay positive about everything.”

Russom has one more round of his current treatment left and will have a PET scan to see if the cancer has gone down before the next steps of treatment are determined.

His support system includes his mother, Andrea Langley; his father, Wes Russom; stepmother Colleen Ryan; and his siblings. His older sister, Makenna, was a former Panther tennis standout who just completed her college career at Bethany.

“Tennis really got introduced to us when we were young by our grandparents,” Russom said. “And Makenna started playing her freshman year. I remember going to her tennis meets, and we would hit around. I obviously wasn’t very good. I still have yet to beat her.

“(Tennis) really means the most to me and my older sister.”

Russom also credited the support of the Phillipsburg community.

“Everyone has had nothing but nice things to say,” he said. “I’ve got a bunch of gifts. My family has obviously been wonderful. The community of Phillipsburg has been by my side, and even the tennis community.

“I got a gift basket from the Ellsworth tennis team. They had a girl in high school, a tennis player, who had Hodgkin’s lymphoma a few years ago, so they could relate to me. It’s been amazing that my community and the tennis community as a whole has shown such grace to me.”

While eager for the opportunity to compete at state, Russom is also facing uncertainty after being just three days removed from his latest round of treatment.

“This is going to be the first time when I’m playing that I’m still really feeling the bad effects. I have to take my nausea meds, so I’m not throwing up on the court,” Russom said.

“We’re just playing it day by day right now,” Jarvis said. “We’re going to give him every opportunity to be there and play if he’s up to it. Just go out on the court and do the best you can.”

“I’m really locked in,” Russom added. “Hopefully I’m feeling well enough.

“I’m just really excited to be here.”