Overcoming the Odds: Vanderhorst excels after returning from cancer

By Zachary Kraft

A college athlete typically only has to focus on three main areas in life: school, sports, and everything else. It's a time that's meant to be spent figuring out who you are, and in most cases, figuring out how to say goodbye to the game you've loved for as long as you can remember.

Kevin Vanderhorst, a senior on the Lasers men's basketball and volleyball teams, wound up getting to know firsthand that things don't always work out the way we usually predict them to in college sports.

Up until 2018, Vanderhorst had led a normal life. He was born in the Dominican Republic, and shortly after moved to the United States with his family, where they settled in Lawrence, Massachusetts. While growing up, he enjoyed participating in volleyball and basketball and particularly excelled in the latter. In fact, he broke his high school's single-game record for rebounds, accumulating 27 in a single contest during his junior year.

Vanderhorst began to receive attention from colleges that were recruiting him for his athletic abilities. Lasell and Mount Ida College were among Vanderhorst's top choices, and according to Vanderhorst, the only thing that kept him from going to Lasell was the fact that Mount Ida was the first to recruit him. He would go on to once again break a school record for rebounds in a game with Mount Ida, accumulating 24 in one contest in his sophomore season. Unfortunately, Mount Ida closed all operations following the 2017-18 school year. Fortunately for Vanderhorst, the school he almost went to just two years prior was waiting with open arms.

Vanderhorst immediately began preparing for his new team as he always would. Working out, playing summer ball, staying sharp, and looking ahead to the 2018-19 season at his new school. Lasers head coach Aaron Galletta was excited about Vanderhorst's arrival to the team.

"He's a leader, he helps new guys out, and he's everything you want in a player as a coach," said Coach Galletta. "I've learned so much from him, not just in basketball but also in life. He's an inspiration to me and the team."

Unbeknownst to anyone, the 2018-19 season would be one that would change Kevin's life forever.

Kevin had been having back pain during his last season with Mount Ida. Shortly after the season ended and the pain still persisted, he went to the doctors to see if anything was wrong. They told him that he should just take it easy for a while and rest, in the belief that the issue was caused by overworking himself.

"One morning, before preseason workouts (at Lasell), I woke up and my back felt terrible," said Vanderhorst. "After the workout, the pain got worse, and I left class early that day. I went to the trainer Ari, and she couldn't find anything physically wrong, but advised I go to the emergency room because I was in such severe pain."

Once Kevin went to the emergency room, he would receive news that would change everything about his life. He was told that he had stage three cancer that had started in his kidney before spreading to his groin, lungs, and lower back.

"They ran some scans that night, and told me right away it was cancer. I was speechless and it didn't feel real, no one in my family ever had cancer," said Vanderhorst. "I called my parents and Coach Galletta who was always there since day one. They all came to the hospital and were always there for me during that process. Hilary, the former athletic trainer, was really helpful as well. They transferred me to Mass General from there, and I began my journey of fighting cancer."

Vanderhorst started chemo two weeks after he got diagnosed. He decided that during the process, he wanted to stay on campus. He continued to travel with the team, going to class and kept as regular of a lifestyle as possible. Being on campus kept his mind busy, as he knew his fight had just begun.

"Chemo didn't kill all of the cancer, unfortunately. I started working out and running again, and I was feeling good. But it still wasn't gone," said Vanderhorst. "They performed a 14-hour long surgery on me that required a three-week recovery process in order to try to kill the cancer once and for all. It worked, and I was able to go back to school."

The surgery was a major operation, as Vanderhorst had to learn how to walk again after it. One of the risks his doctor told him was that there was a chance that due to the surgery, he may not be able to walk again, let alone play basketball anymore.

With the addition of Vanderhorst to the lineup for the season, the Lasers advanced to the GNAC semifinals where they suffered a heartbreaking 95-94 loss to Albertus Magnus. Unfortunately, this was most likely Vanderhorst's last game as a collegiate athlete. Vanderhorst finished the contest hitting 5-of-8 shots for 12 points and 12 rebounds.

Vanderhorst is a double major in accounting and marketing and expressed his interest in coaching basketball once he's established in his respective career path. He is currently working to obtain his Master's degree through Lasell and has already started taking graduate classes.

Vanderhorst's playing career at Lasell may be over due to the pandemic, but his actions will leave an everlasting impact on many. He proved to himself and the entire Lasell community that he is a winner. He was faced with the most intimidating adversary one can face in their life; potential death and overcame it. His story is a prime example of what it means to be a warrior, and it will be exciting to see what else this young man can do with the rest of his life.

(Zachary Kraft is a senior Communications major at Lasell with an emphasis on Public Relations and Sports Writing, and an intern in the Athletic Communications Office)