Providence College junior forward Drew Brown has returned home to receive treatment after being diagnosed with Ewing’s sarcoma, a rare form of bone cancer, the school announced Thursday.
“Drew is in for a big fight but he’s as tough and as hardworking as they come,” Providence head coach Nate Leaman said in a statement. “I have known Drew and his family for several years and we will be there to support them however we can in the coming year.”
Brown, a Grass Lake, Mich., native, was receiving treatment for a lower-body injury he suffered during the Friars’ Hockey East semifinal loss to UNH when an MRI revealed a tumor. He recently began chemotherapy at University of Michigan’s University Hospital in Ann Arbor.
“The (Providence) training and medical staff was there every step of the way, trying to figure out what was wrong,” Brown said. “I’m glad our sports medicine department takes such pride in caring for their athletes and found this tumor early because of their persistence.”
Brown played in 16 games for PC during the 2013-14 season, tallying two goals and four assists. He’s suited up in 75 games during his three-year career with the Friars, totaling 32 points (10 goals, 22 assists).
“My family and my teammates have been great,” he said. “I have had so much support from them and that’s made a tough situation a lot easier.”
Several other collegiate programs used Twitter to send Brown their support in the wake of the announcement.
[tweet https://twitter.com/GoNUmhockey/status/466982428847128576 align=’center’]
[tweet https://twitter.com/BCHockeyNews/status/466975350237720576 align=’center’%5D
[tweet https://twitter.com/PennStateMHKY/status/466976827689693184 align=’center’%5D
[tweet https://twitter.com/BU_FoH/status/466979017951039488 align=’center’%5D
[tweet https://twitter.com/BCFootballNews/status/466983208203345920 align=’center’%5D
[tweet https://twitter.com/UNDMHockey/status/466972641707163649 align=’center’]
[tweet https://twitter.com/PCWHockey/status/466977562745257984 align=’center’%5D
Photo via Twitter/@FriarsHockey
