Team support not lacking for Donaldson

Softball team has rallied since learning teammate Rachael Donaldson has stage four soft-tissue sarcoma and vows to 'meet it and beat it'

Rachael Donaldson

By Maggie Thach
The Collegian

Nichole Willis was waiting for a call from Bulldogs starting left fielder and best friend Rachael Donaldson. When she didn’t receive a call, Willis knew something was wrong.

Head softball coach Margie Wright called a team meeting and Willis already knew the news.

“We knew Rachael had gone through tests that day,” Willis said. “We knew there was a possiblity she had cancer but we weren’t 100 percent sure.”

Once Wright said the words, players were in shock and tears were abundant. The first thing the team did was brainstorm on what they could do to make things easier for Donaldson.

“We’ve been waiting for her to see what she needs,” said utility player Daisy Gaynor.

The team has text messaged Donaldson and made a schedule so that every player has a day when they can visit her. Since Donaldson can’t leave her house, Willis said the team will go to her.

Sometimes, the players will rent movies, bring Donaldson food or have Bible study with her.

“Rachael’s our teammate so we’re going to get through this as a team,” Gaynor said. “It’s brought us together. We communicate more and we’re spending time together because we’re always doing something for Rachael.”

Donaldson has been traveling to the University of California at San Francisco for chemotherapy treatments and a fund has been established to help Donaldson and her family pay for travel expenses.

Besides the fund, a walk-a-thon has been scheduled from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. for the day of the alumni softball game on Oct. 29. All proceeds will go to Donaldson.

Willis said red, white and blue bracelets will be sold with the letters ‘RD’ on it and the team’s slogan “meet it and beat it.”

“Everyone who I have run into has tried to help,” Wright said. “The outpouring of support has been great.”
Seeing what Donaldson, who is 20 years old, has to go through at a young age has put things in perspective for her teammates and her coach.

“In all my years of coaching, I’ve never had a player with such a difficult battle,” Wright said. “When you care about a person so much, it’s devastating. It’s difficult for all of us.”

Gaynor said Donaldson’s situation brings about at least one positive.

“It’s a good time to look back,” Gaynor said, “and realize how much of a blessing it is to be out out there.