'I'm a fighter': Edgar man beats cancer, again
EDGAR - Sam Pospyhalla is diminutive in size, standing just 5-foot-3. He weighs about 110 pounds.
The size of his heart and his fight more than make up for it.
Pospyhalla has defied the odds nearly his entire life. He beat a childhood cancer that took 10 years to rid himself of. He played sports in school despite his small stature. Less than a month ago, the 28-year-old Edgar man did it again, receiving the news that he was in remission from stomach cancer. It was the third time Pospyhalla has sent cancer into remission and the second time he has beaten stomach cancer.
"You just have to keep fighting," he said.
When he was 2, Sam took a tumble while he was playing with his older brother, Manny. No big deal. But after it happened, his parents noticed Sam wasn't feeling well — and even a few days later, he wasn't getting better. His parents, Mike and Roxanne Pospyhalla of Edgar, knew something wasn't right. It turned out Sam had a massive and growing tumor on his left kidney and had stage 4 neuroblastoma, a cancer that develops from immature nerve cells and is often found near the kidneys.
"He had had cancer for a while," his mother said, "but we didn't know it."
The Pospyhallas took Sam to Minnesota, where he had surgery done to remove the tumor. "Doctors said that if we had waited another couple of days, Sam probably wouldn't have made it," Roxanne said.
A couple months later, Sam also had to have a bone marrow transplant related to his fight with cancer.
His older brother Manny was a perfect match, and soon after Sam received the marrow transplant. He also had one of his kidneys removed, as well as glands, his appendix and part of his liver. He spent years undergoing chemotherapy and radiation and "basically lived" in the Minnesota Children's Hospital for about a year.
After age 4, he was able to go to radiation, chemotherapy and checkups in Marshfield every couple months.
Finally, at 12 years old, Sam was cleared of cancer. He thought his days of dealing with cancer were over.
Sam is the second-oldest of six kids in the Pospyhalla family. He has three brothers and two sisters — Manny, who is 30; Gabe, 25; Hannah, 23; Liz, 21; Zach, 19. Sam lives at home with his parents and works at Bauman Farms in Wausau.
"When you're 12 and you beat (cancer), you don't think you're ever going to have to deal with (cancer) again," Sam said.
Unfortunately, that wasn't the case.
A new bout with cancer
In the summer of 2014 Sam was working with B&K Trucking of Marathon down in Texas, but he didn't feel well.
He came home and had tests done, but they showed nothing. Doctors would later find that Sam had a tumor in and on top of his stomach. In July 2014, cancer was back in Pospyhalla's life.
"The second time when I got it ... the first three treatments were the toughest," Sam said. "But I had a lot of support from family, my uncles and aunts, everyone would come and sit with me."
He sent the cancer into remission after eight treatments, or about four months. But by November of last year, his cancer was back again, nearly a year to the day after it went in remission.
The night he found out, Pospyhalla had gone to the emergency room at 2 a.m. because he couldn't eat and hadn't for been able to for a couple weeks. Pospyhalla was admitted for four days and had his stomach pumped. After a battery of tests, Pospyhalla learned the news. This time, his cancer was where the stomach and intestines meet and it was causing his intestines to twist.
Pospyhalla had been up to 130 pounds, but he lost more than 20 pounds in each of his last two battles.
"I was mad. After you go through chemo and through all that again and you get it back a year later — then you have to go through everything again," Sam said, looking into the distance as he recalled his anger at the time. "But ... I'm a fighter."
He spent a grueling 54 hours straight every two weeks receiving chemotherapy.
In late January, he was told he had won another victory, sending the cancer into remission after eight chemo sessions.
"Doctors tell us that his cancer kind of 'goes to sleep,'" Roxanne said. "We are just concerned. Does that mean it's going to come back again? But right now we are just so happy for Sam and are proud of how strong he is."
How Sam inspires
One thing that has helped Sam be the tough, big-hearted person he is today is the strong family and support system around him. Sam didn't get the size or athleticism his brothers and sisters received: Manny was a three-sport athlete; Gabe was an all-state football player; Hannah and Liz were regulars at the WIAA State Track and Field Championships and in 2011 led the team to the program's first WIAA state title in program history; Zach was also an all-state football player at Edgar.
But Sam did get their toughness.
Pospyhalla's growth was stunted due to his health issues, but he played sports in high school, competing in football his sophomore year and wrestling his senior year. He quit football because of the risk of injury.
"His whole life (Sam) has been a real little guy and he might have had some health issues that we all weren't aware of," said Jerry Sinz, Edgar football coach and a retired teacher. "He always wanted to be part of the team, worked hard, tried hard and was a likable kid. Mike and Roxanne are great parents and they're a great family."
Sam's brother Zach dedicated his senior year of football in 2015 to Sam as his health was failing. Zach told the team and coaches that he was playing for Sam; he went on to be an all-state selection.
"Sam had stretches where he's really been down and out but somehow he'd pull through," Sinz said. "He's been an inspiration to us in football and as a community. We always used Sam as an example to guys who are gifted but maybe a little lazy. We'd say 'Do you realize what some would give to have your health and abilities?' We're so thrilled he's getting better."
His family helped set up a fundraiser, dubbed "Cancer Can't Defeat Me," which will happen at 1 p.m. Sunday at Edgar Lanes,119 W Redwood St. in Edgar. The fundraiser is to help raise money for Sam, who needs financial support after his battles with cancer. It is the first fundraiser for Sam.
"I wasn't around when Sam was 2, but looking at pictures at what he did go through, we just want to support him and make sure he got through this," Sam's sister Hannah said. "We hope a lot of people show up and support him. The first time he had (stomach cancer the thought of a fundraiser didn't cross our minds. This time we all just thought we need to do something and get his story out there."
Sam still has checkups every couple of weeks to monitor his progress. Pospyhalla hopes to never have to beat cancer again, but isn't fearful if he has to.
"Never give up," he said. "I'm still here. You just have to stay positive."
Going Out Reporter Mitchell A. Skurzewski can be reached at 715-898-7006, mskurzewski@gannett.com or on Twitter @MSkurzewski.
Show support for Sam
Attend the "Cancer Can't Defeat Me" event.
When: 1 p.m. Sunday
Where: Edgar Lanes, 119 W Redwood St., Edgar.
Cost: $15 to participate in the eight-pin tap bowling tournament is $15 per person. Proceeds will go towards Pospyhalla's medical expenses and other bills that accumulated as he was unable to work while undergoing chemotherapy treatments.
Former Packers kicker Chris Jacke will attend the fundraiser and will autograph pictures available for purchase at $20 each. Autographed memorabilia also will be available as raffle prizes.