JULY 14: 5:30 PM PARTICIPANT MEETING AND
FOOD TRUCK PARTY AT DIVERS DEN
JULY 15: 4:00 PM TOURNAMENT AND WEIGH
IN AT DIVERS DEN.

COLTEN’S STORY

It all started the summer before sophomore year of high school. Colten was enjoying summer at the beach when symptoms began. First it was night sweats. Then it was a lump in his groin. Eventually it was lower abdominal pain. Although he thought it was probably nothing, Colten went to his pediatrician. His labs were fine, but Colten’s problems persisted. That’s when his doctor decided to send him to a surgeon at Children’s of Alabama for a biopsy. “Even then, no one thought there was even a chance of it being cancer because all of my lab work was perfect,” Colten says. “But when my mom got the phone call the very next week, I knew it was something lifechanging.” 

Colten was diagnosed with Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma. An appointment was already made for him at the Children’s oncology clinic the very next morning. “That night before the appointment, I don’t think I slept at all,” Colten says. “It wasn’t real to me yet. I knew I had cancer, but it didn’t feel like I had it.” The very next morning Colten and his family traveled to Children’s to meet oncologist Ana Xavier, M.D., to go over potential treatment plans. “Dr. Xavier came right up to me when we arrived and gave me a hug and told me that everything was going to be OK,” Colten adds. 

With a diagnosis of stage 4, Dr. Xavier thought it best to give Colten an intense chemotherapy treatment, which required him to be in and out of the hospital every two to three weeks. It was a long process, but Colten is now in remission! 

Along with his family, Colten is an avid scuba diver and spearfishing enthusiast and wanted to host “Dive For A Cure” to give back to the hospital that treated him so that others can get the same amazing care. Please consider participating in the event or making a gift to the cancer center at Children’s!