Cancer can't keep Dylan Barnett from college

MONFORT HEIGHTS – It's no surprise La Salle High School senior Dylan Barnett couldn't keep a smile off his face for 45 straight minutes at his National Letter of Intent signing ceremony April 17, considering the day came despite three years of fighting cancer.

Diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia in April 2011, the senior wasn't sure he would even have the chance to play football for Centre College.

"Honestly, two years ago I never thought I'd be able to step on the field again," the safety said April 17, "but to come out and start this year and have an opportunity to play in college is just really great."

The journey began on a rainy Saturday in April when Barnett just wasn't feeling like himself. Three days later, under mom's direction, the then freshman was off to the doctor's office where the staff told him to go to the hospital immediately. Unsure of exactly what was going on, he stayed overnight at Children's Hospital where he underwent a bone marrow biopsy, which revealed the devastating news that he had cancer of the blood and bone marrow.

The Barnett family never thought they'd find themselves in this situation but tried to get through it by taking the disease for what it was.

"We never avoided it, but we just kind of said 'it is what it is,'" Dylan's father Scott said while trying to hold back tears. "We'll fight through it. It's part of our lives, but it's not all of our life."

He went through intense treatment for roughly a year and a half, which included spending six straight weeks in the hospital as part of phase one, followed by Monday-Thursday stays at Children's, all combined with outpatient visits a couple days a week. Barnett currently finds himself in the phase called "maintenance therapy," which is treatment that tries to prevent the cancer from returning.

Despite taking a pill or two a night and going to the hospital once a month for minor treatment where he is given an IV with medicine, Barnett returned to the field for his senior year and made his first appearance in a La Salle uniform in more than two years on Aug. 28, 2013.

"That game against Oak Hills down at Nippert Stadium; that was incredible," the senior said. "There were so many mixed emotions that night. I didn't really even know how to describe it. It was really just unbelievable."

Dylan will continue the maintenance therapy treatment until the beginning of August just before he heads two hours south to Centre.

"We just don't have any regrets," Scott said. "I think he made the right choice and we're excited for him and we can't wait to watch him play next year and the next four years. We'll be there for every game, even away games we'll go to."

In March, the National Football Foundation honored Dylan with the Tom Potter Courage Award for his community service while battling leukemia. According to La Salle, Dylan participated in the Race to Anyplace, a six-hour stationary bike-riding session that raises money for the American Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. Dylan also helped assemble snack bags for families staying at the Cincinnati Ronald McDonald House.

As he signed the dotted line April 17 at La Salle, whether Dylan took a minute to reflect on the past three years, and about what the next four years are going to be like.

"Right now physically I'm feeling great," the senior said. "It's college football; I'm very excited. Three years ago I never thought I'd be in this position, so I'm really thankful and excited for the future."