So you’ll go out in joy, you’ll be led into a whole and complete life.
— Isaiah 55:12
Trey Sailors wants to be treated like any other player on the baseball field, and he should be, after all, it’s been seven years since he beat cancer.
Sailors, a 10-year-old Jonesville Elementary/Middle School student, was born with a small discolored spot on his lower back which raised concerns for his parents, Dennis and Tiffany Sailors.
“The doctors called it a hemangiomia,” said Tiffany. “They said it was nothing to be alarmed by and that they thought it would fade away by the time he was five.”
Instead of becoming less noticeable, the mass eventually began to change in color and grow in size. When he was three years old, Trey had an accident that led to the discovery that the spot on his back was a malignant form of cancer.
“He fell off the couch and landed on a toy that punctured the place on his back,” said Trey’s mother. “We took him to the emergency room to stop the bleeding and after that our family doctor decided to send him to a dermatologist.”
Trey was diagnosed with infantile fibrosarcoma in 2006. He was referred by the dermatologist to a pediatric surgeon who performed the first operation in July. A second surgery two weeks later eliminated the remainder of the cancerous growth.
Now, at 10 years old, Trey spends his days on the ball field where he plays third base for Kingsmore Construction’s Dixie Youth team.
“I’ve played baseball pretty much all my life,” he said. “I like hitting and playing the field.”
Born to a family of Clemson fans, Trey said he hopes to someday become a member of the Tigers’ baseball team and later play professionally.
Recently, his Dixie Youth coaches learned that Trey is a cancer survivor and they decided it appropriate to honor him.
Head Coach Todd Davis distributed gold ball caps (Gold is the color that represents childhood cancer) to every member of Kingsmore Construction prior to Thursday’s game.
“I’ve coached Trey for two years and never knew he was a cancer survivor,” said Davis. “When we found out, I was really surprised. This was a situation where I just felt led to do something to honor him. He’s so humble, such a good kid, and he deserves to be recognized.”
Assistant Coach Jeff Strickland agreed with Davis.
“Trey is one of the best athletes we have,” said Strickland who is hoping to recruit Trey to his football team in the fall. “He’s strong, he’s a tough kid and he has a heart of gold.”
Davis said that Trey’s story reminds him of a book in the Bible which contains a message from God to Jeremiah.
“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”
— Jeremiah 29:11
“Trey will be the first to tell you that God was with him through that situation,” stated Davis. “The Lord has plans for him that none of us know about and that’s why Trey beat the odds and survived cancer.”
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