Caitlyn Lancaster played field hockey with Liz Noddin at Skowhegan Area High School. Allison Lancaster remembers Caitlyn’s reaction when she heard what happened to Noddin.
“My sister just literally sat down and wouldn’t talk for like an hour or two,” Allison said. “It affected her big-time.”
Noddin was recently diagnosed with acute promyelocytic leukemia, a form of cancer. According to the Genetics Home Reference website, acute promyelocytic leukemia affects about 1 in every 250,000 people in the United States.
Jess Skillings, another former teammate of Noddin’s at Skowhegan, said Noddin is doing well, but will need to have treatments in Boston five days a week over the next six months. Skillings is organizing a 5K road race, “Lace Up for Leukemia” to help with Noddin’s costs for staying in the Boston area. The 5K will be held Saturday in Skowhegan.
“Between the costs of her parents going down there, and her apartment (in Boston) we’re just trying to help her out any way that we can,” Skillings said.
The race begins at 9 a.m., Saturday, and registration is by the walking bridge in Skowhegan, behind The Bankery and M Thai. Registration is $20, and starts at 7:30 a.m. on race day.
In both 2008 and 2009, Noddin scored a goal in the regional final to help Skowhegan to the win. As a senior on the girls basketball team in 2010, she hit a shot at the buzzer in the Eastern A final to give Skowhegan a 38-36 victory and put the Indians in the state championship game. Noddin played college field hockey for one season at Franklin Pierce and three seasons at Husson. She was a captain on last year’s team at Husson as a senior, and made first-team all-North Atlantic Conference.
“Liz is the kind of kid you want every kid to be like,” Skowhegan field hockey coach Paula Doughty said. “She was a good field hockey player, but she wanted to be a great field hockey player, and she worked her butt off to become a great field hockey player. I said to her when she got sick, ‘You’ve got all the tools to beat this,’ because that’s the kind of kid she is.”
“She is probably one of the nicest, most caring people you could ever run into,” said Allison Lancaster, who was named Miss Maine Field Hockey last season. “She loves the world. She gives her all in everything she does. She’s just a wonderful person. I looked up to her a lot.”
Skillings said Lancaster was the one who thought of the idea for a 5K.
“When Allie thought up the 5K, I thought there was no better way to do something for Liz,” Skillings said. “She is so driven. For her to be diagnosed with something as awful as leukemia is upsetting, but she’s so positive. She’s really an inspiration for any adult or child to look up to.”
Noddin is between phases of her treatment and recently got engaged, Skillings said.
“The first day she was allowed to leave the hospital, she went to Fenway and she got engaged,” Skillings said. “She’s doing really well now. She’s in a good place.”
If you are not attending the 5K but still wish to donate, you can send a check to Jess Skillings, 37 Wallace Farm Rd., Skowhegan, ME 04976.
Matt DiFilippo — 861-9243
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