By CHRIS AGBOLA, Assistant Editor
The Ranger Football game against University of Arkansas Monticello was dedicated to fight against pediatric cancer.
Ranger football player number six, Malcolm Robinson, is in remission from Stage 4 Hodgkin’s Lymphoma and has returned to Northwestern, as a running back.
Malcolm Robinson is from East Little Rock Arkansas. He majors in Health and Sports science and has a minor in Sociology. Malcolm is from a family of four comprised of his mom and two brothers.
His older brother Lerinezo Robinson played football for the University of Arkansas, while his younger brother, Hakeem Robinson, started his freshman year, this fall, at Northwestern Oklahoma State University.
Robinson started playing football when he was nine, for the Southwest Ravens. His family members all played football so Robinson was introduced to the game at a tender age. He played for Dunbar Middle School, and then after that Central High School. “My best memory, while playing football, was winning five straight championships with the SW Ravens,” Robinson said.
On January 7, 2015, Robinson was diagnosed with Stage 4 Hodgkin’s Lymphoma. Over a period of time, tumors developed in his nose and in his neck. To seek treatment, Robinson took a year off school and football. He underwent 30 radiation treatments and 15 chemotherapy treatments.
Robinson indicated that this experience was a difficult period of his life because he felt all his hard work to play at the collegiate level, amounted to nothing. However, his faith in God, family, coaches and teammates were his support and encouragement to fight for his life and return to Football.
“While I was going through treatments, my teammates sent me a football signed by everyone, and regular texts to urge me on. My coaches called me regularly to remind me of the fighter I already was being an athlete. They never gave up on me and that made it easier to not give up on myself,” Robinson said.
Returning to Alva and wearing a Ranger team gear again was another motivation for Robinson. He indicated that he missed his teammates a lot and could not wait to come back to play with his brothers.
“I felt like I had to win my battle because my aunt Maya Macon-Austin, who was diagnosed with cancer a couple of days before me had passed away on March 4, 2015 and I couldn’t let my family down,” Robinson said.
On June 16, 2015, after six months of extensive treatment, the doctors informed Robinson that there was not any trace of cancer left in his body.
Some of Robinson teammates and friends gave their thoughts about his experience. Caleb Longest said, “Malcolm Robinson and I came to Northwestern Oklahoma State University in the same recruiting class of 2013. My freshman year memory of him was the quiet kid with the gold cleats. We later became friends when we shared a room and suite with our other friend, Devin Peyton,” Caleb Longest said.
Longest continued that Robinson’s attitude to never back down inspired him the most. His best words to describe Robinson were a “loyal, strong, resilient, trustworthy and tough individual”.
Demetri Wilson also came in the same recruiting class as Robinson. “What inspires me about Robinson is his will to never give up. He showed me that you have a reason to keep pushing and fighting in spite of the situation. Robinson also pointed out to me that, with my faith in God, I can overcome anything,” Wilson said.