Pink is Fearless

Editor's Note: This is the first of two stories leading up to Little Rock's Dig Pink Match against Arkansas State on Saturday, Oct. 19 at the Jack Stephens Center.
 
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – For every Little Rock Volleyball match this season, there has been a consistent presence at whatever arena in which the Trojans are competing. That presence enters the arena every night with a determined will to be there, a determination stronger than two of the most feared words a woman can hear, and comes in the form of Jeana Thurston.
 
And those two most feared words that Jeana refuses to let sideline her? Breast cancer.
 
Jeana Thurston is seemingly fearless. And her determination to support her daughter, freshman middle blocker Janae Thurston, at every match continues week in and week out despite the rookie season of her daughter's collegiate volleyball career landing smack dab in the middle of her chemotherapy treatments.
 
"To me, that is tough - and I mean TOUGH - to do," Little Rock Head Coach Van Compton said. "Janae probably has no real idea what her mother goes through to see her play. She has a lot of grit and a lot of drive to do that. You have to admire the lady for that to the nth degree."
 
Every Monday Jeana heads to the University of Kansas Medical Center, commonly referred to as KU Med, for chemotherapy treatments on her stage two breast cancer. She recovers by the end of the week when she travels with her husband and Janae's father, Travis, to wherever the schedule takes Little Rock.
 
"She doesn't mention if it is tough," Janae said of her mother. "She is just happy to see me. She always says, 'I love seeing you every week. I love your hugs. They are the best thing in the world!'"
 
For Janae, it is the hidden driving force behind an eventful past 10 months that have led her to this point in her freshman campaign, a freshman that has played in all 18 matches and currently ranking second on the team in blocks per set and third in points per set.
 
The Thurstons are seemingly nothing, if not impactful.
 
It was in May that the diagnosis, originally thought to be stage one but upgraded to stage two after a surgical procedure, presented itself to the Thurston family. That came just a month before Janae was headed six-and-a-half hours away to college, her first time living away from home.
 
"When she first told me, I was really sad," Janae said. "It came out of nowhere because breast cancer has not been a factor in our family before. But my mom is a strong lady and I believe that she would be fine."
 
She knew her mother had immense strength. What mother doesn't? That strength can come in the form of being fearless, a connotation with her mother that Janae carries with her every single day.
 
That is because the word "fearless" is tattooed on Janae's arm. It was initially chosen to describe Jeana's perception of her daughter.
 
"I got it on my 18th birthday, which was this past January," Janae explained. "My mom has always told me since I was little that there is no fear in me. When I was little I used to just run and jump off anything. If there were kids bigger than me, I wouldn't hesitate to go play with them."
 
Janae initially wanted a tattoo that incorporated her mom. Little did she know the poignancy of that desire.
 
"I knew I wanted something that incorporated my mom in it as she (Jeana) was not a big tattoo person," Janae continued. "So what could I do? I had her write out the word 'Fearless' and had that tattooed on my arm, in her handwriting. I don't know how the tattoo artist did it, but it is really cool."
 
What initially was just a word, emboldened by a fight, was supported by a gladiolus flower added to either side of that word. The gladiolus, Jeana's favorite flower, is often used to symbolize strength and moral integrity.
 
But fear can often grow out of a lack of knowledge. More than just a determined will and her family's undying support behind her, Jeana had knowledge at her disposal. That is because she is a nurse practitioner at KU Med.
 
Usually working in the nephrology department with dialysis, Jeana is taking a year off to fight the battle against breast cancer while simultaneously making an appearance at every Little Rock match this season. Surrounded by coworkers as she receives her treatments, she knew what exactly she would be facing since her initial diagnosis.
 
Jeana's attendance at Little Rock's matches this year has been as steady of a presence nearly as any this year. Even the student-athletes have had to battle constant change with several injuries leaving the Trojans with only seven available players for several matches this season.
 
That attendance streak could be put in jeopardy on Nov. 5, when Little Rock plays a Tuesday match at Arkansas State. Unsurprisingly, Geana already has a plan in place.
 
"She has said she is not missing a game all year," Janae says of her mother. "Since she doesn't feel the side effects of chemo until the next day, she is going to get her Monday treatment and then they will immediately drive down to Jonesboro that evening. That will probably be tough for her."
 
That same determination can often be seen in Janae on the court. The similarities don't end there – Janae is a nursing major at UA Little Rock and aspires to be a nurse practitioner like her mother.
 
For the latest information on Little Rock Volleyball, make sure to check out LRTrojans.com. You can also find the team on social media at @LittleRockVB on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.
 
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