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Name:  Michael Goldfine

His Story –

Michael is a 16 year old junior at Stevenson High school and has played on the JV Team since his freshman year.  But his story is even more amazing.  In July of 2010 Michael was diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL), a cancer that prevents white blood cells from maturing into healthy cells.  He had dangerously low blood counts which might have been fatal had he not been treated within days or weeks of being diagnosed. Michael was devastated with the news. Michael thought he would never be able to go to school again and certainly thought he would not be able to play hockey or baseball again.  But the wonderful oncology staff at Children’s Memorial Hospital (CMH) not only told him that he had an excellent chance to fully recover from his illness with chemotherapy treatments, but that he should be able to participate in sports again that year!   Michael vowed to get himself back in shape (he had lost 35 pounds in the past month) and to make the team in the fall.  Within a few weeks of treatment, Michael got the good news that he was an early responder and that the leukemia was in remission.  However, it was a long road for him to get in playing condition. Starting at the end of July, he spent many hours at the gym and on the ice and was successful in returning to the JV team for the second year.

During the remainder of 2010, Michael had to endure weekly (or sometimes two or three times weekly) visits to CMH for chemo treatments and blood transfusions.  The chemo treatments left Michael very weak and he lost his hair, but that did not stop him from still going to school or participating in the hockey games or practices. Often Michael would leave the clinic by noon and return to school by 1:00 to attend his last few classes.  Michael missed 21 days of school during the fall semester, but still managed to maintain over a B average and make the honor roll.  On days when his platelet counts were too low to participate in hockey practice (due to the danger that his blood would not clot properly, he would still suit up and skate during warm-ups and participate in the goalie training classes doing the skating drills.

Michael’s hockey play during his sophomore year was limited due to his chemo treatments and blood levels, but his record for the season was 7-0-1 (with three shutouts), a  GAA of 1.49 and save percentage of 0.911.  The first hockey game Michael was able to play in during the season was on 10/20/10, where he recorded a 3-0 shutout against Lake Forest High School.

During the season Michael played under the “Good as Gold” motto and fellow team mates wore orange wrist bands in support of Michael.  Currently Michael still goes monthly for chemotherapy (Maintenance) and remains in remission and continues to enjoy life as a typical high school teenage boy.

Michael has had a Promasque since the seventh grade.  During the sophomore season Michael complained about his masque feeling a little tight. So during the summer he decided he wanted a new Promasque.  But he also wanted a custom paint.  He wanted the Good as Gold and the Orange ribbon with survivor and the high school mascot.  Matt and the Promasque paint shop delivered.  His masque arrived one week before his first scheduled in-net game on October 6, 2011.  The results were fantastic.  Michael recorded another shutout with 29 saves against Prairie Ridge High School.  He is looking forward to another successful hockey season and his new lid.

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