Elise Lampert has leukemia. The Jasper pitcher refused to let it take away softball

JASPER — Elise Lampert is going to be straightforward. This is an inherently negative topic.

What you’re not going to see is any despondent attitude from the Jasper High School senior. That’s not in her DNA, regardless of the circumstances. She is choosing to remain positive. She is electing to stay active in the sport she loves.

Lampert was diagnosed with chronic myeloid leukemia in December. It won’t be the end of her story.

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“My faith has the biggest thing to keep me strong,” she says. “I know God has a plan for me. I hope he can use my story to inspire other people.”

Lampert is in some ways your typical teenager. An athlete and three-year starter in the circle for the Wildcats. She was a key member of the group who won the sectional championship last spring, hitting a go-ahead double in the seventh of a 15-14 victory over Heritage Hills. Her journey with the game will continue at the next level.

A lot of it is self-driven. Coaches never worry about her attitude or passion. She doesn’t need a reason or help to put in the necessary extra work. Lampert is also described as possessing “the biggest heart of anyone I’ve ever met.” The example of a great teammate.

Which is why what occurred in December was numbing to everyone.

Lampert had complained of hip pain since her sophomore year. It flared up again last fall and she was recommended an MRI to check for a possible torn labrum. The doctors instead found an enlarged spleen and odd bone marrow results in her hip, which led to blood work. The family received a call at 10 p.m. on December 19. She was taken by ambulance to Riley’s Children’s Hospital in Indianapolis.

Two days later, the doctors finally had an answer. It was cancer.

“It’s very, very rare in young people,” Lampert said of chronic myeloid leukemia. “They don’t have a lot of research (for patients her age). I just knew to trust the process.”

Jasper coach Matt Pryor was working in the fieldhouse when he was delivered the news. The best way to describe the feeling is devastation — not just for the athlete but for the person and family. He wasn’t the only one. This was cancer. The word carries meaning. Everyone likely knows an individual affected by it in some way.

Lampert was admitted to the oncology unit at Riley’s where she spent four days and three nights. She was still able to leave the following weekend for a long-planned family trip to Hawaii. It was a welcomed distraction, but she still needed to take labs on the island.

“Something like that you just don’t think is true,” said Pryor. “Softball comes second pretty quickly when something like that with life just slaps you in the face. A lot of times what you see is horrible things happen to wonderful people."

Chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) is a type of cancer that starts in the blood-forming cells of bone marrow. About 15 percent of leukemia in adults is CML, according to the American Cancer Society. The number drops further for those of Lampert’s age. What puzzled her was the lack of symptoms. No true weakness, weight loss or fever. Only the enlarged spleen caught by the MRI. Lampert thinks in hindsight she felt tired even if going to sleep early.

Any positive from the diagnosis was the treatment. It’s less intensive than what many may think. Lampert is required to take oral chemo twice a day – one in the morning and one in the evening. An initial medicine caused nausea and aching, but a switch to another leaves her feeling 10 times better.

This type is also chronic because it typically affects those later in life. The family doesn’t know how long she may require medicine due to the lack of research in younger patients. The hope is after three years of stable blood levels she could potentially stop.

“It’s different than what you’d stereotypically think of for chemo patients,” said Lampert. “I still have my hair and a lot more energy than (others). I haven’t had many bad symptoms from the medicine. I can’t complain too much.”

The inspiring part? Lampert’s reaction. She leaned on her family and faith to navigate the news. But at her core, she didn’t wallow. Lampert believed in her heart everything was for a purpose. She was determined to show everything would be alright. Look at her four-plus months later.

The senior is still playing softball when it would've been easy to focus on her health. Again, that’s not how she operates. Lampert signee attacked everything, much like the game, with a plan. She pitched in the season opener against Pike Central on March 31. Lampert allowed one earned run in five innings and went 1 for 3 at the plate with one RBI.

"A lot of the same reaction that I see on the field," said Pryor. "‘I can handle this and take this on.’ It says something about the parents and the upbringing that she had to get through anything. She heavily relies on her faith and knows through Christ she can handle anything. Softball is a part of her. She wasn’t going to sit this out."

Lampert has made eight appearances in the circle with a 3.82 ERA in 25 2/3 innings. Jasper, now 6-9 following a win over Harrison on Tuesday, uses a mix of pitchers who have similar skills. But in a tough situation, it likely knows who gets the ball.

One of the first questions in December? The chances of continuing to play.

“It’s just not something I’m ready to give up,” said Lambert. “I’ve loved it all my life. The people are amazing. My teammates and coaches have been so supportive of me. I couldn’t ask for a better second family.”

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Her spirits remain high even months later. Senior Night is quickly approaching followed by her final postseason. Lampert will eventually head to Lincoln Trail College with her sights on a degree in ultrasound technology.

Perhaps the sport has been a happy distraction. Her attitude and fight through the entire process have been inspiring to those in the school and program at Jasper.

“I felt the love and prayers everyone was sending my way,” said Lampert. “That’s really what kept me with such a positive outlook."

Follow Courier & Press sports reporter Kyle Sokeland on X, formerly Twitter, @kylesokeland.

This article originally appeared on Evansville Courier & Press: IHSAA softball: Jasper pitcher Elise Lampert fighting chronic leukemia