Hutch Mohr Of Sparkman High Is A Cancer Survivor And Is Dedicated To His Duties As Team Manager Of The Senators’ Boy’s Basketball Team
“I believe God had a purpose for me to survive,” said Mohr on his being able to fight off Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL) since the age of three. “To be a part of the basketball program at Sparkman I feel as though I’m where I’m supposed to be.”
The son of Danny and Katrina Mohr, the high school student with a gracious personality is the team manager for the Senators’ boy’s basketball team. He handles all of the normal duties of a team manager including keep the scorebook during games, assisting players with their uniforms before and after games and following directions put forth by head coach Jamie Coggins and the remainder of the coaching staff.
He is an A-B student in the classroom and is a member of the JROTC program where he said, “The program has taught me things I’d never know, especially discipline.”
His trek to the current position within the basketball program began at age three where he was ill and running a high fever. His mother desperately tried to lower the high temperature, but was unable to do so and quickly took her son to his pediatrician. Blood work was completed and the doctor immediately told them there was something wrong and they needed to see the experts at St. Jude’s Children Hospital in Memphis. Within two days Mohr began treatments for his condition and remained in the care of the world famous facility until age seven.
“My mother stayed with me most of the time while my father would come to Memphis when he could,” said Mohr. “My mother worked for the U.S. Government and was able to work via the internet from our apartment in Memphis that surround the St. Jude facility.”
Four years later after undergoing serious chemotherapy to fight to the disease, Mohr was listed as chemo and cancer free. He went on a trip to Disney World supplied by the Make-A-Wish Foundation. Upon arriving back home he played AYSO Soccer and decided he wanted to play flag football. To join the team he had to have a physical where it was discovered his left testicle was larger than normal. He was again tested for cancer and it was discovered he had an ALL relapse.
“I again moved to Memphis and was treated by St. Jude’s where they removed my left testicle and I underwent three years of chemotherapy and this time included radiation treatments,” said Mohr. “At age nine, I was again declared cancer free.”
Since his departure from St. Jude’s, Mohr has his blood tested every six months by local physicians and visits St. Jude’s once a year. It is a routine he will endure until age 19. As usual with the fantastic facility, St. Jude’s care, lodging and treatments were all at no charge to the Mohr family. “It was a blessing I was referred to the facility,” he added.
Mohr was home-schooled until the fourth grade when he attended Legacy Elementary and later Monrovia Middle School. Upon arriving at Sparkman as a freshman he saw the managers of the basketball team and Mohr immediately knew, “I wanted to be there, too. I wanted to be a part of something bigger than I am.”
He joined the basketball program in April of his freshman year.
Mohr admitted he made a lot of friends during the escapade in his young life and has lost some friends, too. He has the mental scars of what he has endured, but it’s the physical scars he has on his chest from the years of having ports for medication that he actually wants to keep.
“Everyone has a battle scar of something. These are my battle scars I can show others and tell my story,” added Mohr.
He has some level of a learning disability due to the bevy of chemotherapy treatments he underwent and has a case manager at the school who assist him in his school work and advancement of his education. He wants to go to college at possibly UAB or Jacksonville State where he wants to study business administration.
For the last three years Mohr is not under any dietary restrictions and no daily medications. Statistics indicate he will always be a possible cancer patient and after a 10-year mark his probably of having a relapse drops to less than 50-percent.
He remains physically active by swimming, listening to music with his friends and watching movies, especially comedies. “A good laugh never hurts anybody,” he said.
Mohr carries himself proud and with confidence. He admits he was more scared for his parents whenever he was being treated as his mother took the situation very hard and it was difficult to watch her son suffer.
He has told his story on social media and attends a special “cancer camp” where he goes through social activities with other cancer survivors. He easily befriends everyone he sees and is willing to share his story with no limitations on facing the details of his ordeal.
He is unable to participate in any type of contact sports, so being team manager is the next best thing to dressing out in a uniform and playing on the court. “The players have said I’m the best manager they’ve had and that makes it all worthwhile to be alive and being a survivor.”
