SOUTH WAYNE - The pink shoes and socks Tanner Sweeney wore during the Warriors' final regular season football game against Highland held a special meaning for the Black Hawk senior: More than just colorful footwear, they were a symbol of someone he lost.
It's been 10 months since Sweeney's mother, Cindee Sweeney, died of breast cancer. For a small town such as South Wayne, having a football team like Black Hawk, now 9-0 and ranked No. 1 in the WisSports.net Division 7 coaches' poll, is a gas pump-and-coffee conversation-starter. But hosting a "pink out" cancer research fundraiser as the school did Friday, Oct. 18, ensures a community hard hit by cancer this year won't forget the fight many families and friends have had to overcome.
"She always wanted to make it to every game," Tanner said of his mother. "I just want to play and make her proud, like she is here. She never gave up. That is how I have been playing this season."
In March, just three months after Cindee passed away, Tonya Milz was diagnosed with breast cancer. She is the wife of Black Hawk football coach Cory Milz, and like Cindee, a Black Hawk graduate. Tonya graduated in 1990, one year behind Cindee.
Tonya went in for her first mammogram in February. She said doctors at Monroe Clinic found something suspicious and recommended a biopsy. The biopsy confirmed she had breast cancer.
"It was shocking," Tonya said. "I was 100 percent afraid. You don't expect news like that. It was scary."
Cory, who is meticulous with his football scouting reports, didn't have an immediate game plan for the news.
"It (cancer) was off our radar," he said. "It caught us off guard."
But Tonya was relieved when doctors told her that the breast cancer was in the early stages. In April, she had a double mastectomy at St. Mary's Hospital in Madison. She was 40 years old.
"I'm just lucky we caught it when we did," Tonya said.
She underwent five weeks and 25 series of radiation treatments. With four children, she opted to have the radiation treatments at the Leonard C. Ferguson Cancer Center in Freeport, which staffs some University of Wisconsin doctors. After more than one month of radiation, she finished treatments in August.
"It's still something in the back of your head, you are thinking if all the cancer cells are gone," Tonya said. "It's something that is scary and negative. You can't let it consume you. You have to dig deep and stay positive.
"I feel like people are stronger than they think they are."
Tonya said she admired the way Cindee handled the pressure of living with breast cancer.
"She was always smiling," Tonya said. "She was an incredible inspiration. What brought us closer is our sons were both in the same grade (now third grade)."
Tonya has also been touched by the support she's received in the community and from the school.
"I told Cory, our school colors are now red, black and pink," Tonya said, referring to the use of the color pink to designate breast cancer awareness.
It puts football in perspective on Friday nights.
"We have been hit hard by breast cancer," Cory Milz said. "It hits home. I think Tonya and all the women who have had cancer are inspirations for dealing with that and going on."
It's been 10 months since Sweeney's mother, Cindee Sweeney, died of breast cancer. For a small town such as South Wayne, having a football team like Black Hawk, now 9-0 and ranked No. 1 in the WisSports.net Division 7 coaches' poll, is a gas pump-and-coffee conversation-starter. But hosting a "pink out" cancer research fundraiser as the school did Friday, Oct. 18, ensures a community hard hit by cancer this year won't forget the fight many families and friends have had to overcome.
"She always wanted to make it to every game," Tanner said of his mother. "I just want to play and make her proud, like she is here. She never gave up. That is how I have been playing this season."
In March, just three months after Cindee passed away, Tonya Milz was diagnosed with breast cancer. She is the wife of Black Hawk football coach Cory Milz, and like Cindee, a Black Hawk graduate. Tonya graduated in 1990, one year behind Cindee.
Tonya went in for her first mammogram in February. She said doctors at Monroe Clinic found something suspicious and recommended a biopsy. The biopsy confirmed she had breast cancer.
"It was shocking," Tonya said. "I was 100 percent afraid. You don't expect news like that. It was scary."
Cory, who is meticulous with his football scouting reports, didn't have an immediate game plan for the news.
"It (cancer) was off our radar," he said. "It caught us off guard."
But Tonya was relieved when doctors told her that the breast cancer was in the early stages. In April, she had a double mastectomy at St. Mary's Hospital in Madison. She was 40 years old.
"I'm just lucky we caught it when we did," Tonya said.
She underwent five weeks and 25 series of radiation treatments. With four children, she opted to have the radiation treatments at the Leonard C. Ferguson Cancer Center in Freeport, which staffs some University of Wisconsin doctors. After more than one month of radiation, she finished treatments in August.
"It's still something in the back of your head, you are thinking if all the cancer cells are gone," Tonya said. "It's something that is scary and negative. You can't let it consume you. You have to dig deep and stay positive.
"I feel like people are stronger than they think they are."
Tonya said she admired the way Cindee handled the pressure of living with breast cancer.
"She was always smiling," Tonya said. "She was an incredible inspiration. What brought us closer is our sons were both in the same grade (now third grade)."
Tonya has also been touched by the support she's received in the community and from the school.
"I told Cory, our school colors are now red, black and pink," Tonya said, referring to the use of the color pink to designate breast cancer awareness.
It puts football in perspective on Friday nights.
"We have been hit hard by breast cancer," Cory Milz said. "It hits home. I think Tonya and all the women who have had cancer are inspirations for dealing with that and going on."