Medford teen overcomes cancer, hopes to play football again
After a battle with cancer, Mabray Andrews was made honorary captain of the MHS Mustangs football team on Sept. 18.
By Daisy Levine | Correspondent
Mabray Andrews says he wasn’t the best at playing Pop Warner football, but he certainly wasn’t ready to give up. His dad, Isaiah, who was the assistant coach for the Medford High School Mustangs, hoped to be out on the same field as his son once his son was old enough.
Early last year, Mabray noticed a sharp pain in his leg. He went to the doctor hoping for answers, but the news changed his and his family’s lives.
At age 12, Mabray was diagnosed with osteosarcoma, an aggressive form of bone cancer that typically affects young people. The weekends that were usually spent at Hormel Stadium were taken away from him, replaced by the walls of the hospital saving his life.
But on Sept. 18, just weeks into his freshman year at MHS, Mabray served as the honorary captain of the Mustangs at their first home game of the season. For many, it was their first time seeing Mabray walk out onto the field without his wheelchair or crutches.
In about two years’ time, his dad says, he should be recovered enough to play football again.
“It’s nice being out here, seeing my team play and winning a game,” Mabray, now 14, said. “I’m out here because of my surgery. I had to remove my tumor and stuff [before I could be back].”
Osteosarcoma is often found in the long bones of the legs, affecting mostly boys, according to the American Cancer Society. About 500 new cases of childhood or adolescent osteosarcoma are diagnosed in the United States each year.
The Medford Mustangs are supported by Swirls Around the World, a local nonprofit that empowers young people and their families impacted by cancer. Named for Medford native Matthew “Swirls” Cirelli, who lost his battle to Ewing’s sarcoma at age 19 in 2013, the group emphasizes a love of sports, travel, and scholarship, all of which Cirelli prioritized. Cirelli was also the honorary captain of Medford High’s cross-country team.
“He was the unsung hero,” his aunt, Diane Caruso, said while giving out bracelets and cookies at Thursday’s game to support Pediatric Cancer Awareness Month. “Matthew definitely loved all his sports…He always loved coming to the games with his friends.”
The Medford Mustangs wear Swirls stickers on their helmets to support Cirelli and people battling childhood cancer. The cheerleaders incorporate gold, which is the color of Pediatric Cancer Awareness Month (observed in September) into their uniforms.
“Matthew being from Medford, they welcome Swirls here,” Caruso said. “It means so much.”
Swirls called Mabray a “warrior” on its Facebook page, praising him for championing Medford, not only as an athlete but also as a cancer survivor.
“It’s awesome, it’s so exciting,” Isaiah said just after bringing the Mustangs to their first undefeated win of the season. “Hopefully, [Mabray] will be out here soon and be able to play with these guys… I know he wants to get back out here.”
Mabray’s loved ones say they never see him looking back on his diagnosis, now that he’s cancer-free. They call him a very typical teenager with an incredible story.
“It’s good having them out here, my friends, [my team],” he said. “I can basically call them family, how they’re here for me.”
Daisy Levine is a journalism student at Boston University. This story is part of a partnership between Gotta Know Medford and the Boston University Department of Journalism.
