(1-17-26) Last night at the Gehlen Catholic (Iowa) High School annual “Kick Out Cancer” night girls basketball game…SherryJo Wittkop, a Gehlen sophomore who has been dealing with cancer for over two years, she started the game and scored the first basket of night for Gehlen against Harris-Lake Park. After her cancer diagnosis, Wittkop had made it known that it was the one thing she had wished for.

RELATED: SherryJo Wittkop to start and score first basket in Gehlen Catholic’s Kick Out Cancer game against Harris-Lake Park

The recent revelation hurried up the opportunity last night after finding out that Wittkop’s cancer had returned to her spine with some added intensity.

Gehlen Catholic girls basketball coach Brandon Schaecher told the LeMars Sentinel –

“This was a culmination of a lot of people helping out, but ultimately it was Sherry has always just wanted to score a bucket in a Gehlen uniform for a varsity game. When we heard that, it was all hands on deck to make sure that she got that opportunity. Kudos to H-LP and the refs and all the administration here at Gehlen and the community for coming out and supporting a night like this. It’s overwhelming and such a celebration for Sherry and everybody fighting.”

After she made her shot she told the Sentinel –

“I was so excited. It was so cool. I just love that my teammates are always there for me. They have been there for me since day one and it’s just so nice to be able to have that support and that family. I really loved it. It was kind of like a bucket list thing for me, so it was just really amazing,”

But it wasn’t quite over….Coach Schaecher brought her back into the game for the final 30 seconds of the game…one to remember-

“Unfortunately she missed that three, but she tells me she missed the three so she could get the steal and the assist. I’m not going to argue with her either. It was fun to be able to do this for her tonight, and then to see her get in there and go get a hustle play. Of all people to get a hustle play, to see her do that was just amazing.”

As for the current outlook of the new cancer that was found on Wittkop’s spine, doctors say it could be a tough road ahead. That’s not stopping her from living life to the fullest and showing that competitive spirit against a terrible disease.

The final score was Harris-Lake Park 54, Gehlen Catholic 38…but everyone was a winner in this game.

SherryJo Wittkop‘s Caringbridge Page

According to her Caringbridge page…next up is:

Monday we have the MRI and Tuesday Pet scans and we are ready to get gut punched and then most probably the following Monday begin the next intensive Chemo. We want to do it right away yet want to evaluate with everyone our next step is right and also Family in for the weekend. We are totally locked in again on all levels, Juice, suppliments, diet and mental strength. Sherry mediates and works on healing herself with mind and soul and the Lord while we get ready. We are ready for the fight…