Alex's Story

It was a sunny Saturday in March of 1995. I had been outside shooting basketball and staying busy while my mom and dad were inside talking on the phone to a doctor. I had heard the phone ring as I went out to play, but didn't think much of it. When I came back inside I would learn that that phone call would change my life forever. My mom had just found out she was diagnosed with Breast Cancer. As my mom sat crying on the steps with my dad holding her tight, telling her everything would be ok, I quickly realized having cancer was not a good thing at all. I was only eight years old at the time. The days and weeks passed and I saw my mom continue to change. She grew weak, tired and just wiped out in general. When she began chemotherapy, and her hair began to fall out, this was the first time I saw my mom cry due to her diagnosis. I began to cry with her, but I was crying because I didn't understand any of this. I had no idea what chemotherapy was, I didn't know why my mom's hair had to fall out, or why she was always fatigued now. I had so many questions but I had no idea what to ask or even who to ask. So I just followed suit and tried to stay positive as well. In the months to follow my mom underwent a mastectomy to remove the cancerous tumor, just shy of a year from when she was originally diagnosed.

In the fall of 1999, my mom received the news of being re-diagnosed with cancer. She received chemotherapy and radiation treatments, and again I saw her grow frail and weak right before my eyes. This time around my mom had a reaction which caused her right arm to grow three times its normal size and she was also gaining weight. This was referred to as lymphodema, which started as a result of her sweat gland being previously removed. This time around it was all so different for me. I knew more about cancer, I worried more and I felt so alone this time. The doctors attacked this round of cancer with very aggressive and intensive chemotherapy and radiation treatments. After nearly a year of treatment, my mom was deemed cancer free, all over again.

This time her remission was very short lived. Being deemed cancer free in the early fall of 2000, my mom was re-diagnosed with cancer for the third and final time in May of 2001. Her cancer was in stage four and it had spread to her brain. Doctors consider cancer spreading to the brain to be one of the most terminal diagnoses, and my mom was now considered terminally ill. Her and my dad decided not to tell my brother Adam and I till the very end. When we finally found out, we knew this time was different.

On December 26th, 2001 I woke up and walked downstairs at 7 am. Basketball practice started at 8 am. I sat down with my mom one final time. I held her, told her I loved her, kissed her hand, forehead and cheek. Just as I was about to let go, she squeezed my hand very weakly and tried to say I love you. She was so sedated and sick. The cancer had completely taken over her body. I left for practice that morning not knowing if my mom would still be alive when I returned. She passed peacefully before I had come home.

As the years passed I continued to use baseball as my outlet. I played four years of high school baseball and then went on to play college baseball. It was in the summer of 2008 that my true path in life was made apparent to me. I had been asked to play summer baseball in the Eastern Collegiate Baseball League for the Utica Brewers in upstate New York. Upon arriving in Utica the idea came to me for a cancer fundraiser based around one of our baseball games. My general manager loved the idea, and At Bat against Breast Cancer was born. During the day I would go around to local businesses and ask for donations and door prizes that could be won during the in-game raffle. Through ticket sales, donations and other various gifts we were able to raise almost $7500.00. We split this between two families. This emotionally charged night saw its fair share of tears, smiles and great baseball. The night was capped off by firework and a feeling was left inside me that was satisfying beyond words.

Since At Bat against Breast Cancer, the idea for The Cure Baseball has been unfolding in my head for quite some time. I knew I wanted to tie baseball and cancer together in a unique and personal way. So, here it is. I invite you all to become a part of this organization to embrace the team, the cause and the mission as we join together to truly change lives both on and off the diamond.


With Love, Hope and Happiness,

Alex Paluka, Chief Executive Officer and Founder of The Cure Baseball