After dueling with a fatal rare disease, Makenna Vanzant, will be making her epic return to the basketball court.
The high school sophomore has been battling hemolytic uremic syndrome and it’s been a life or death struggle. It’s no surprise to her mother and her team, that the resilient fighter returned to the starting line for her first game in a long time.
Hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS) is a condition that targets blood and blood vessels, resulting in the destruction of platelets, which are the cells involved in clotting. This causes kidney failure and a number of other problems. To learn more, click here.
After beating the disease, the on and off the court fighter was back in the game once again and worked extra hard to get in shape. Through bleacher runs, extra weights, and extra practice workouts, she picked up right where she left off.
In Makenna’s case, her kidneys shut down, sending her blood pressure to dangerous levels. Her parents were worried that she would never make it out of the hospital, so it’s a miracle playing her favorite sport again.
During the brutal hospital days, Makenna saw love and support from the community, her teammates and her fans. It kept her going and kept her family going as well.
Makenna’s coach brought in her jersey and draped it over her bedside as a reminder of her inner strength. She saw it every day, and it motivated her to get better and head back to where she belonged.
“Her face always lit up,” her mother said to 5 N ews. “She’d say ‘well I play for Farmington and I gotta get through this to get back out there and lead my team.’”
Makenna’s family was cheering her on in the bleachers during her first game back. They are excited to track her success and watch her finish the season strong.
