Our Green Level Gators will be facing off against the Cleveland Rams on September 24 in our third annual Orange Out volleyball game dedicated to raising funds and awareness for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society (LLS). The theme was started with our very own student-athlete, senior Reese Roper, when she was diagnosed with leukemia three years ago, less than three months after the end of her freshman volleyball season.
Reese was already showing symptoms months before her diagnosis. Playing volleyball made her feel significantly more fatigued than usual, something that was negatively affecting her season. It got to the point where everyone, from her teammates to her coach, began noticing the difference, and so she went to her pediatrician to figure out exactly what was going on.
“I started feeling different after Thanksgiving of 2022,” Reese says. “I was at club volleyball practice, and I would just feel really tired and out of shape. The lights would get super bright, and that’s probably what freaked me out the most.”
Reese’s pediatrician didn’t really have much insight into what was going on, so eventually, she went to the UNC emergency room. She was told that she didn’t have cancer, but they did diagnose her with mononucleosis.
But the day school started again after Christmas break in January, Reese visited the ER again. Later that night, her parents got a call back telling her that the initial diagnosis for mono was wrong, and that Reese actually had leukemia.
“When my dad told me that I was diagnosed with leukemia, I initially thought that he was joking. When I realized he was serious, it just felt kind of unreal. You never think you’re going to be the one in that situation, but it does happen.”
Reese’s diagnosis led her to start eight months of intense chemotherapy, and she found herself struggling to deal with the sudden change in her lifestyle.
“It honestly seems pretty trivial, but the hardest part for me was not being able to play volleyball,” Reese says. “Not being at practice and school everyday was really difficult, but having my friends and family is what got me through that.”
Reese’s team was instrumental in supporting her and spreading as much awareness as possible. In honor of what she and thousands of other people were going through, the Gators threw an Orange Out volleyball game, which quickly became an annual tradition. The stands were decked out in the color of the cancer ribbon for leukemia, and the team wore special bright orange jerseys that deviated from their typical blue and green. Building on the strong foundation of raising $10,000 the first year, the event more than doubled the following year when donations surpassed $25,000.
“I’d like to thank everybody who plans on attending this year and everyone who has come out to the event in the past two years,” Reese says. “When we all come together, we really can make a huge difference in our community; it takes every single one of us, all the students, teachers, and fans who come out to support us and help set up the Orange Out game, and I really appreciate all that they do.”
After almost three years of battling leukemia, Reese got the good news she was hoping for as she went into complete remission. She is now cancer-free and has finally made a full return to volleyball.
“I love being out there on the court despite it being difficult at times because of the fact that I’m not the same player as I was before cancer,” Reese says. “Playing volleyball is something I would never take for granted again, so even though I’m not playing at the highest level that I could be, it’s still an amazing feeling.”
The Orange Out event is more than just a game—it’s a chance to stand together for Reese and everyone fighting leukemia. Don’t miss it this Wednesday as we pack the stands in orange to cheer on our Gators.
